Not Gonna Get Us
by Shelyna
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha is the most dangerous criminal in the USA. She is a young, inexperienced FBI agent. A marvellous interplay of miniscule incidents make them fall in love. However they have to realize their hearts are beating in a different rhythm. SasuXoc
1. The Three Hangmen

**|$| The Three Hangmen |$|**

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_May I ask you something?_

_And you won't laugh?_

_Promise?_

_Alright._

_What will a fish and a bird do when they fall in love with each other? _

_Do you know the answer?_

_No?_

_I also do not know it, but maybe we can find out together._

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Strong rain was pattering down on the town. The city was drowning in the greyness and it was nearly impossible to see your own hand in front of your face due to the very dark night. The life raved in the million metropolis Los Angeles, however, off the activity, away from the whole twaddling people who had a good mood, out of sight of the witnesses, somebody fought desperately for his life.

A man of middle age who had dared to deceive one the triad boss. At least he had tried it. However, one had found out, because his small mud work for the Marcipanes that used this name only as a code was unessential. They had needed exactly six hours to catch him and to condemn him.

Condemn him to _death_.

There was no other judgment for a betrayer, it didn't matter how big his betrayal was or how big he was. The man knelt in the mud, his whole body was trembling. His clothes were already glued to his body.

Around him there were the three hangmen. The rain was getting stronger with every minute. Big lakes of water were already built on the streets and the smell of fuel and cars was inhaled by the man slowly. His breathing was fast, and his sweat was mixing itself with the sour rain that was pouring down hard.

"P-p-please … H-have mercy …", his voice was fragile, his eyes glazed. Did they already break this man?

However, nobody paid attention to him. The answer to his begging came immediately. Somebody pressed a weapon to his temple, the cold gun barrel made him deliberate that it was too late.

It was his own fault, how could he really believe that he could betray _him_?

With his betrayal of 200,000$, he had sealed his destiny. His body wasn't able to move anymore, iciness climbed up in him. A heartbeat later a vague noise resounded through the streets. Then a floppy body fell to ground and crimson blood mixed itself with rain. His eyes were wide open and dead.

There was no flickering, not a single glitter his eyes anymore.

The only light in the surroundings dropped long shades on the bodies of three men. It seemed that none of those three guys felt anything right now, it wasn't relevant that the men had destroyed a human life.

The rain pattered further down on them, the streets were flooded and the dark figures were reflected in this never ending rain. The oldest among them yawned and made a bored grimace.

"Finally we are done."

"Will we leave him here?", the voice came from the left and the hangmen turned to their newest member. Sabaku No Gaara wasn't working for a long time for the Uchiha clan, however, in spite of his lack of experience the clan head was very happy with him.

The oldest groaned and declined. Shikamaru Nara was not exactly the type who had any intention to hide corpses, according to his opinion it made no difference, when the police found the dead person. They weren't able to proof anything.

Why?

Simple, because those three hangmen were _very_ careful in order to remove all kind of traces. "How troublesome. I'm really not in the mood to throw that old person in a river or to dig a crazy, big hole. He can rot on the floor and maybe some stray dogs will have a bite of his delicious flesh. I don't really care."

The third person gave a light laugh and already started to walk away from his companions_._ His shade passed the twisted garbage tonnes and he went directly through the empty streets. His two colleagues followed him and after they had left behind the dark quarter, the leader of the hangmen put down his hood and golden-blond hair that stood off in all directions, appeared.

Slowly the streets became more animated, brighter, lively and cleaner. In the big high street Shikamaru Nara rummaged in his jacket pocket for a packet of cigarettes. With relish he moved in a cigarette and as the blonde haired guy turned round to his so-called colleagues. "The job was fine under our level or since when do we move as a cleaner through this shitty area?"

They interfered unobtrusively among the people and were within less than a few seconds quite normal citizens of the U.S. and no ice-cold killers who lived with a double identity. Nobody saw that they worked for the most crude triad boss of the American underworld.

There was no reason, they behaved unobtrusively and, nevertheless, they had their eyes and ears everywhere. Nothing escaped them and those things that escaped them, there was nothing that could ever surprise them in such a way that it showed a danger for their boss. Besides, each of three hangmen had a specialty.

Shikamaru Nara was responsible for the upper society; this kind of society his boss negotiates with, he controlled them and their intentions, he also provided that the lower society kept quiet and caused no difficulties.

The job to look after disagreeable contemporaries like police, FBI, CSI and greasy employees was part of Sabakuno No Gaara's job. Although he wasn't working that long for the Uchiha clan, he proved his good talent especially for observations just as he did today.

Naruto Uzumaki had a special status. The unobtrusive chauffeur was responsible for the security of his boss and till present he had never failed. Besides he enjoyed a high degree in trust and the other two hangmen supposed that Naruto had some strange sort of friendship to their boss.

Soaked to the skin the three young men entered a small diner that had opened overnight. By this late hour it was widely empty and the hangmen estimated exactly this in this diner. The store had been getting long in the teeth.

The bar was worn, the leather seats were torn slowly and the pictures on the wall were more than 20 years old. Nobody seemed to want to renew them. It was dark in their favorite diner, the light was dim in the back of the restaurant there was some flickering lights and the smell of french fries with too much oil hit their noses. The door bell rang and the old owner came out behind the cash.

"Ah, Messrs. Tic, Tric and Trac."

Naruto smirked widely, meanwhile they had been here so often that Doug had already given them a nickname. Doug's thick horn spectacles were full of fat and the men were surprised that he could still recognize them. Briefly he took up their order and then disappeared into the kitchen.

The diner was empty.

Except for one single young man in a suit nobody else was in immediate nearness. The appearance of the stranger did not seem to fit in at all in this sphere and he hadn't looked up yet as the three killers had entered the snack. Indifferently he sipped at his cup of coffee and turned the pages of an economic magazine.

Sasuke Uchiha looked quiet and in no manner tense. The last living Uchiha was aware of his influence and his power in the subsoil and had no fear of the fact that at an unknown time an assault could be committed. Almost silently his employees walked along him and sat down in a corner. Naruto leant directly next to him against the bar. For a while nobody said a word.

"Everything run smoothly."

Sasuke was quiet and the blond man besides him knotted his hands into each other. Uzumaki knew that his boss had expected nothing else and, nevertheless, there were even more news.

"Gaara has asked around a little bit and right now it looks like it will become uncomfortable."

For the first time in this evening the Uchiha looked up from his newspaper. His eyes were bored. "To what extent?"

Naruto shrugged with his shoulders and hummed: "CSI has got a change of their seizure of power. You already know, the small incident three weeks ago when you have given the order to blow the old man's head off and his men too."

The black-haired leant back, a cynical grin had appeared on his face. With pleasure he thought of the man who allowed to kill his whole clan years ago. He had hunted that guy and shot in his head by himself. Before the guy died Sasuke Uchiha had broken every single bone in his entire body by himself. Hour by hour he had enjoyed the triumph in the most crude way.

"Looks like as if the FBI is involved now.", Naruto spoke with bored voice. "What exactly they plan, Gaara does not know yet, but there are discreet tips that they want to do research in our district, too."

Sasuke let the news work on him, then he took a gulp of his coffee and turned to his magazine again. "Tell him, he should stay on the ball. He will get his money tomorrow."

Naruto nodded and pushed off from the bar. The today's night would run quietly. Three men supervised the sphere of their boss and kept an eye on suspects. They had the mud work behind them and as soon as Sasuke decided to come along, finally, on the way in the hotel, they would also have end of work.

However, till then hours should pass.

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	2. Casus Praecipius

**|$| Casus Praecipius |$|**

In quiet steps a young woman crossed the big hall, nobody came her way. Most began their shift at seven o'clock, so she enjoyed the unusual silence in the pinnacle of the FBI obviously. She was not part of the FBI for a long time yet but five months had shown her that it was a hard business. Izumi Sousei quietly yawned when she entered her office and unloaded the acts.

The night had been quiet, too quiet for her taste, because she had spent most of her time to write reports. Tiredly she dropped herself on her desk chair, her look wandered through the big worn office that she shared with 12 other colleagues. The filthy windows weakly left the road lighting in the room and the worn table and crowded shelves signaled that those people who were working here are diligent servants of the state.

Izumi stretched herself and was glad for the first time that she still belonged to the younger generation the so called baby vegetables, because thus she could permit to herself the freedom about her clothes. In a costume she would always have to preserve position what wasn't really a strength.

The phone rang and she took the listener in her hand.

"_Sousei, room 603, immediately! No excuses."_

The young woman winced slightly, she _hated_ this voice. Since she had finished her apprenticeship, she had assumed, actually, that she would never see her former instructor Ibiki Morino again. However, she had been mistaken, he had become her direct superior and harassed her now whenever he was able to. He did **not** like her and didn't make a secret out of it. It should be alright to her, however, sometimes he inclined to exaggerations. Slowly she rose and hurried in speedy steps to the lift. There she bumped suprisingly right into her best friend.

"Morning Ino!"

A pretty blonde turned round to her and Izumi noticed that Ino'd prefer to lay in bed. Her blue orbs looked tired. She threw back her long blonde hair and leant against the wall of the lift. "Please, Izumi, don't be in such a terrible good mood! Did you even take one look at the clock?"

"Oh I'm so sorry", sarcastically Izumi pushed the button for the eighth floor and asked: "Where do you have to go this early?"

Ino painted over her red lips and checked the rest of her make-up in a small hand mirror. As usual, she was styled perfectly and was ready to work undercover all the time. Izumi admired her friend for that talent.

Izumi didn't hate undercover work she just didn't have the talent to disguise herself as someone else. Unfortunately she had failed her last undercover agent exam and therefore Ibiki always did pick on her. Without exception.

"Ibiki-sensei. He has nerves! I put in overtime constantly, then he beefs me in and now he hunts me after four hours of sleep out of bed." The lift stopped. "Damn it! I swear if this isn't important I really don't know what I will do."

Izumi smiled, she knew that Ino didn't have that many problems with little sleep, after all, this was her job. Sometimes one just had to clench the teeth and still they were young.

Politely they knocked on the door to room 603 and entered. Surprisingly both young women did not only found their former instructor. Uncertainly Izumi closed the door behind herself and let her eyes run over the room.

The big window donated meagerly light. Several empty pin boards were available, two PCs and a big table. On that there was a blond woman of middle age. Ibiki leant against the big window pane and looked at them seriously. "There you are finally! You really have to increase your pace. I guess we have to take a training session together again."

Ino twisted her eyes, while Izumi bit her lip. "What's the matter?"

"You'll get to know soon enough."

Then he was quiet and both young women exchanged a look, they were confused, no question. Even as Izumi wanted to say something to break through the upcoming silence, the door behind them opened again and they recognized a distant colleague, two persons they had never dealt with.

Kiba Inuzuka belonged to another area, so Izumi had only seen him in the cafeteria. Behind him stood a computer specialist.

"Shino, I'm very happy that you decided to help", noted the unknown woman on the table. Both men closed the door behind themselves and the unknown woman got up. Briefly she looked at each of them.

What was going on?

Why the whole slyness`?

"My name is Tsunade, I am the chairperson of the CSI", explained the lady in the costume and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Dazedly the young people looked at her. "You will ask yourselves what I have to do in the building of the FBI?"

General marbles sounded.

"As you certainly know, my team is about to thin out America's Underground for a year now and, besides, the change in this underground hasn't escaped our eyes." Her voice remained somehow cold, distant and very professional.

"Nevertheless before I explain further details to you, I must ask you whether you are ready to co-operate in one of the biggest cases of the American drug history. You must be, of course, clear that your work can't be separated from your private life anymore. The case will take up you a lot of time and there is not a possibility to alight."

Silence spread across the room and Izumi took a deep breath. For the first time since she worked for the FBI, someone made a tempting offer to her, she had only waited for an opportunity like that because she had nothing to lose. She had no lifelong companion with whom she had to arrange every decision, children she had to look after or a big family that interfered with her private life.

The only living relatives whom she still had was an old uncle who lived in Japan and who she saw only twice a year. As one of the first she stirred and sat down at the table, challenging she looked at the other three and smiled. Ino pulled up an eyebrow and followed her friend.

Once again a chair moved and the brown-haired man murmured: "Nothing easier than this.", his colleague, who has been called Shino said nothing at all and sat down silently on the last free chair.

Tsunade smiled and asked Ibiki for documents, then she lifted her voice: "I am glad that you are ready for a cooperation. At first I would like to explain your duties to you.", Tsunade looked at Ino. "Nevertheless, I hope that it is clear to you that you have to start the contact to our subject person immediately, Ino."

Ino nodded silently, she had made herself a good reputation as an undercover agent during the last three years and was aware of her job, therefore, more than anyone else. "Kiba, you will also work undercover, after all, Ino needs support and a little protection."

"Yeah!", he nodded to Ino. "No problem. No jailbird can remember my face anyway."

The small group laughed quietly, then Tsunade turned to in Izumi. "You will be needed as a logical brain. One hands over information to you and you draw from it the necessary conclusions."

She had already expected this kind of work and when Tsunade announced that Shino should help her in it, Izumi couldn't help but ask herself where the risk for her was. Nevertheless, she herself worked in the background and would hardly approach the subject person at all. Tsunade opened her briefcase and started to explain:

"Your code name will be 1412 from now on. You will look exclusively after the Uchiha clan. Although we cannot talk about a clan any more, because there is only one man who bears the name alone," she fixed a photo to the pin board and Izumi threw an equivocal look to her best friend.

"Handsome guy."

Tsunade pulled up one of her eyebrows. "Indeed, not to be forgotten dangerously. You should know that Uchiha also lends a hand himself sometimes and if he does this, the chance to identify the corpse is pretty low."

She passed a photo to the group and Izumi had to swallow badly. Feeling of sickness climbed up in her.

"Orochimaru has been discovered dead one week ago. In his lifetime he was a well-known drug baron, however as it looks, Uchiha has challenged him for his district, although Orochimaru has introduced him to the drug scene. According to rumors this is a revenge action that had cost the life to 243 people. Not one of Orochimaru's circles has been left alive. Uchiha's men have made their work extremely well and exactly this distinguishes them. All the same whatever you plan, look out for them. Uchiha selects his confidants carefully."

"How many of them are there?"

Tsunade lifted three fingers. "We call them his hangmen. We don't know their face, name, some personal details about them or anything else. They are like shadows. Nobody knows where one must look for them, because they do their work so discreetly and clean that we couldn't find any tracks. And exactly this is their brand name. Clean work, brutally and never unthinkingly."

She looked at the young people, then she pulled out another sheet. "But in addition some other time, I would like to explain Uchiha's product to them Uchihas."

"Drugs.", Kiba hummed, before she had even said something. Amazed Tsunade looked at him before Kiba continued. "If he has removed this drug baron called Orochimaru out of the way, it was about the supremacy with the junkies."

Sounded logically, however, Izumi was taken aback. "But, therefore, one would not have to extinguish a whole organization immediately! If it was for him about the supremacy, he would give the men the chance to change side in order to strengthen his influence."

Tsunade nodded and asked the young woman to continue.

"We don't deal here with a typical form of struggles for power, for that it too much blood is flowing. What interferes me even more is if Uchiha kills the competition pitilessly, nevertheless, it must become conscious to him that he has a disadvantage from it. I mean, the more people work for him, the better and the further he can stretch his threads to increase his district. What makes him so sure that he keeps his leading position?"

Silence fulfilled the room and they looked at each other uncertainly. For the first time in this morning Ibiki freed himself from the window pane and spoke: "It is the drug with which Uchiha acts. Did some one hear anything about pure heroin?"

Shino looked up surprised and confuses equally. "There is no pure heroin in the U.S.."

"Up to now this is what we thought too", Tsunade agreed. "The state had believed up to a few months that he controls the drug trafficking in a small form."

Izumi nodded, she remembered the lesson where she was taught, that every drug had a so-called additive. This served, actually, to be able to control the amount in drugs in own country since the early 90ties years.

"Nevertheless, seven months ago, as one of my employees accomplished the semi-annual control of the drugs, the pure material fell to us in the hands for the first time and the last week my supposition was confirmed. Meanwhile every fifth junkie only takes this God damned material. Surprisingly it is as expensive as the mixed."

Izumi's brain started to work fast, creeps overcame her. She had never heard of such an organized crime. How could somebody earn money with it, while others were killed with that?

"He imports the drug directly from abroad", she soberly commented and Ibiki nodded. "Yes. However, till present we have still found no gap. For months we bolt airports, however, apparently this guy is of the crafty kind."

Tsunade put another picture to the pin board. "This is his ex-fiancée."

The picture showed a pretty young woman. "They had a six month long relationship, however, four days ago we have found her corpse near Mississippi.", Tsunade sighed. The young woman on the photo had long pink hair and big green eyes. "Uchiha prefers unusual women, externally and internally. We believe that his fiancée had to die, because she had got used too much to the luxury that he had offered her. She wanted more and more."

Ibiki crossed his arms in front of his chest. "If you work undercover, be careful, because nobody is able to help you. Once you are in the foreign district there are hardly any possibilities to come out unshorn."

Izumi knew that this was everything what both superiors had to say. Uncertainly she looked at her hands, a dangerous time would lie ahead of her and it was not foreseeable, when this would end.

"Well,", she heard a voice next to her and looked up. Kiba grinned. "In view of the momentary circumstances I suggest that we go out eating tonight and exchange ourselves, after all, we will have to work together and it would be an advantage if we trust each other."

Ino smiled and the small group found easily an appropriate appointment. The dismissal looked stiff, because Ibiki shook hands of everyone. Tomorrow they would be put on themselves alone. Then they could count on support of their superiors rarely.

"Sousei Izumi, a few seconds please."

Izumi was about to leave when she paused as heard the words of her superior. Uncertainly she looked at him and he deeply sighed.

"Have you thought about my proposal about judiciary once again?", Ibiki gave her the-look.

Again!

She hated to be criticized! However, till present she had resigned herself to everything, because she was a small goblin in this area and he was able to replace her easily.

"I understand your doubts, Ibiki-sensei. But I do not plan to change. Even if I have failed the final examination of undercover, I do not think that my abilities, nevertheless, weren't able to support the FBI."

The instructor was in clear about the fact that he bumped into deaf ears and let her go. Disappointed by the decision he closed the door behind him.

Tsunade smiled and poured herself s a cup of strong coffee, then she sat down in on one of the chairs around the table. "My, my Ibiki!", was her only comment.

Irritated Ibiki pulled a face and confessed: "I do not understand that woman! If she changed to judiciary, she would be easily one of the best lawyers. Sousei is able to present the proofs to the jurors in such a way that these would even declare an innocent for guilty. She is brilliant to let certain connections decide for herself."

The woman nodded, indeed, today, Tsunade had already got a taste of her skill. The girl counted on her healthy human mind and was a strategist. "Oh Ibiki, stop worrying. I mean, nevertheless, she has passed the final exam and received the license as an agent, so she must be good enough for the job."

He sighed deeply, this was quite clear to him, but since he enjoyed the role as an instructor, he worried about all of his former pupils. Maybe it would be time that he stopped tormenting himself with the fact that he thought of having overthrown an other young person in the death with every other end.

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"Damn it!", cursing Izumi pulled her coat more narrowly at herself and ran over the afloat street. A mobile phone stuck to her ear and she twisted her eyes when a loud voice howled in her ear. "Tenten! Now let me finish speaking!", she interrupted the blethering voice. It caught in to rain and Izumi positioned herself under a shoe store. "I was out, having dinner with new colleagues and have forgotten time, okay?"

And this was not even a lie. She had simply forgotten, to say that it could become a long evening. The fact that Tenten had worried, could not be taken as an offense because both women had said that they always gave regularly notice to each other in such a dangerous town like Los Angeles if they went out. The voice at the other end of the line became even more hysterical and Izumi decided to reach to the last possibility.

"Tenten, listen!", began Izumi with an angel's voice. "I come immediately home and bring something to eat to you as a reparation?"

Quiet murmuring was to be heard and she smiled.

Gotcha.

"Give me half an hour and I am with you?", with these words she hung up and looked around.

About 15 metres away from her she could recognize a coffee shop. In speedy steps she stepped up to the shop and opened the door. The pleasant warmth from the inside let her escape a sigh. Luckily the store was not strongly visited at this time and she could order directly at the bar. The waiter nodded and already started to finish her order. Izumi threw a short look at her watch. Half past ten! She should get home as fast as possible before she met some dark guys.

She reached in her pocket to get out her purse, as she turned and pushed the coffee mug of her neighbour with the elbow. Immediately his contents were spread on the bar spread and ran down the jacket of the man. Izumi tried to stop the brown liquid with napkins, however, she was already too late.

"Excuse me!", gasped the young woman. "This really wasn't my intention. I'm so sorry. I have no idea how this could happen!"

The young man examined himself the misfortune, however, he said nothing. With saying nothing he pushed Izumi unconsciously into an even bigger panic "I will pay the cleansing costs of course!", she bet on top on it. "Oh God! What if the spots do not go out? Of course they will go out!". If Izumi could she'd love to hit her head against the bar.

What the hell was she talking there?

"I give you my address and you can send me the calculation and - !"

"There is no need for you to pay the calculation", a deep quiet voice spoke.

"Of course I also - What?", surprised she paused and stopped covering the foreign man with napkins. For the first time she looked at her opponent properly and immediately her whole body hardened.

The young man in front of her stroke amused through his black hair that fell in his eyes. His pale skin were a big contrast and demonstrated his eyes even more darkly than they were in reality. At first she could not assign his color of eyes properly, however, then she noted the light blue sting. Slowly he took off his dirty jacket. He seemed to be calmness himself.

"You do not want that I pay the cleaning?", confused she stared at him, the whole incident was extremely embarrassing for her and his loose kind made it not really easy for her. Usually she would have expected an angry look and a few bad words.

"No, really no", the man said and the corners of his mouth twitched badly when he scrutinized the completely dumbfounded woman in front of him. "Listen, this coffee won't kill the whole world and there are more worse things in life than loosing a coffee."

"I …", Izumi looked for the proper words. Such a thing had never happened to her before. Confused she looked to the right and realized that the waiter held out her bag with her orders. To win time, she passed the man 12$. "And you are really sure that I don't have to pay for cleaning?"

"Really", he nodded with a serious look on his face, then he looked outside. "Listen, I make a proposal to you. I forget the coffee on my jacket and you get home now. It is late and the street is no good place for a young woman like you."

Impudence!

Now she already had to be taught. But Izumi had to admit against her will that he was right.

"Alright.", she spoke slowly. "Then I wish you a nice evening.", as fast as possible, she reached for the bag for Tenten and smiled as she left the store. As she was hardly on the street her steps became hurried.

A cold wind hissed around her ears and the rains became slowly weaker. Today she really had more luck than mind, however the smile still adorned her lips. She had hardly walked five metres, as Izumi stopped. Her heart knocked up to her neck. Because of the big joy over saving money something had escaped her mind.

The presence of the foreign man had made her nervous, however not because he looked good. No, such a thing would not throw her off. It had been something else. At first Izumi was not sure, however, then it became clear to her that it had to have been his radiation.

His way of talking_,_ his calm voice, his tone and his way of watching the people in his surroundings, had had such a magnitude on her, that without wanting to she would have done everything he would have asked her to do. Usually she would have taken over the damage under all circumstances, however, he had got her to the fact that she allowed him to pay for himself.

Izumi took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes. Once again she tried to remember the face of the foreign man.

Black hair … deep-blue-black eyes … pale skin …

Slowly Izumi turned round. Her eyes were widened and her right hand were put more firmly on the handles of her bag. er look got stuck in the disc of the Coffee shops. Unbelieving she stared at the back of the man whom she had just soiled with coffee.

No, the chance would have been too big really. Her mind played her certainty a prank. Only because of the joy of the new job was very big, she already thought to see one of the most criminal persons in every dark-haired man.

Izumi shook her head and resounds herself for this supposition. She really had to go to bed and needed sleep urgently, but she would start to go crazy. Internally a little bit more calm she turned to her walking and ran past the already closed shops. Her face got cold and the rain stopped. She put down the hood of her red coat and jumped in the next bus to take her home.

The day was long and the Sousei Izumi was not aware yet that tomorrow the case of her life should begin. However, the creaking of the old bus let her thoughts digress.

To insignificant and unimportant things.

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**Love at first sight is approximate as reliably as **

**diagnosis on the first handshake.**

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	3. Target: Sasuke Uchiha

**|$| Target: Sasuke Uchiha |$|**

Slim hands stroked one hanger aside after another. For over three weeks they had already worked on the case Uchiha and there was no development. Izumi took one last look at the evening clothes for the undercover action and turned to Shino. He was still sitting in front of his PC and groaned continually. It looked like he wasn't able to put up something particularly new.

Izumi's eyes wandered through the big room that was used as their base. She stepped to the bulletin boards and took a look at the information. Six other corpses had joined the 178 dead people during the last days. Five of them were junkies. One an innocent citizen.

The young FBI agent spotted the big map that showed the U.S. Different places were marked, however, she wasn't able to figure out some sort of pattern. She sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Slowly I really ask myself what kind of person this Uchiha is."

Shino looked up from his PC and Izumi sat down on the big table that was about break under the weigh of the mass of papers that was on it. "I mean, he disappears as if the earth had swallowed him up and nobody seems to take knowledge of it, only the dead people."

Shino sighed quietly, he understood his teammate only too well. "The junkies make you nervous," he commented and took a gulp of his already cold coffee.

Izumi sighed once more and supported her head with her hands. "Yeah but they aren't the only problem. I worry most about Ino. I think that we should collect information about Uchiha only from the background for now and not start that undercover action immediately."

The computer specialist lighted himself a cigarette. Silence filled the room. A heavy silence until Shino decided to break it: "I don't know … think about it, if Ino is able to work it out somehow today, we have direct access to him. It would be an immense development."

Izumi knew that, but, nevertheless. Till present she had never worked together directly with Ino in such a bombastic case. She only knew from other colleagues that her friend was an ace in undercover actions. The thought that Ino would get involved on a dangerous triad boss made her fear, because one mistake and the life of her best friend wouldn't be more worth than nothing.

"Who keeps an eye on Ino?"

"Kiba," Shino hummed. "We will hold ourselves ready in a car far away from the street edge."

Sighing Izumi stepped behind her colleague and saw that he was dealing with the newest newspaper articles. "I have a bad feeling about that."

"Izumi!", a disapproving voice sounded through the room and they turned round. Immediately a wide grin crept on the face of the young FBI agent.

"Is this the worst dress you were able to find?"

Ino wore a long red dress that had a huge slit. Her back was naked and the slit came dangerously close to her butt. Her long hair fell down in thick locks over her shoulders. Once again Izumi realized, why women relied on their feminine charms. Ino had the luck that she belonged to the classical beauties, every man would break their neck, only to look after her.

"Don't you like my outfit or why do you make this sick grimace?", the blonde haired girl commented dryly as a foreign man entered the room.

Shino groaned quietly and Izumi let out an annoyed sigh: "Sorry Mr, but unauthorized have no admission to enter here. I must ask you to leave our office."

The swarthy man with a half-bald head looked at her surprised, then he gave a laugh Izumi stared at him unbelieving. In a white shirt, red waistcoat and black trousers he looked like a waiter, however that Kiba would hide behind the whole costume, was really unexpected. "Hats off, my disguising is perfect.", Kiba chuckled and Izumi let one of her hands run through her hair, now she knew, why one had put the Inuzuka in the team, his ability to pretend to be someone else was great.

"We must renounce a cabling.", Shino murmured and rose from his desk. "Uchiha's people will check through Ino if he shows interest in her."

Ino nodded, she was aware of the seriousness of her situation. Should today's little game work, she had to reach for the identity that has been prepared for her. Her whole life would be turned up.

"There is no need to be afraid," Kiba said grinning when he noted Inos tense look. "Should Uchiha come close to you and do something what you don't want, we will blow his head off."

"With the certainty in the back of our head that we only are able to live for two more hours", joked Izumi and received a brainteaser.

"How moving."

Shino took a look at the clock and the small group knew that it was time to prepare everything. Only three hours were left. According to the information they received from a contact person Uchiha would have dinner tonight with one of his suppliers. Both men wanted to meet in the cocktail bar _Star_ _Rose_. As soon as they had regulated their business, Ino could get down to work.

The bar was big, you could look at the sky in the bar and exactly this is the uniqueness of the bar. By thick glass the guests were protected and had a miraculous view to the sky and town. Impatiently Shino and Izumi had placed themselves in a small Fiat. They stood about three cars away from the cocktail bar and could guard the entrance. Over and over again Izumi let her look sway over the area.

What if not **they** observed Uchiha but they were observed by his men?

Unconsciously she touched the weapon under her jacket. If it came hard on hard, she had to shoot. Undercover investigation aside, human lives were more important.

"Keep cool," Shino leant back calmly, he was connected with Kiba and listened in to the conversation that occurred in his ear. "Nobody observes us, Kiba has spotted the complete team in _Star Rose_. 12 people are stationed."

Izumi swallowed. So many? Nevertheless, it concerned an easy business dinner, didn't it? "His three hangmen too?"

Shino passed on the question and it took some time, until he got an answer. "As far as Kiba can judge, they are untraceable, as usual."

Damn it.

She clenched her fists as she would have known it. Organized criminals play their cards close to their chest. It already bordered on a miracle that Tsunade had found out that Uchiha was the mastermind. This information had probably cost some lives, however, Izumi didn't really want to know.

Inside of _Star Rose_ Ino had to fight with something different. First she had proceeded very elegantly to the bar, during this her gaze had briefly glided through the big cocktail bar. Quickly she had spotted her target. The appearance of the young man would have drawn her in also if he had walked past her on a street. She had never met a person who exercised such an attraction on her. Only by his presence she became nervous and, still he was three tables away from her.

To take her mind of him and to give his guards the feeling that she was a normal woman who wanted to spend the evening in society, she looked around. Ino could not deny that she liked the bar. The floor was black and one of the most expensive marble, the pictures on the wall as valuable as a half museum and the guests were as rich as the least people on earth.

She ordered herself a cocktail from Kiba and crossed her legs. Immediately she noticed that she was observed. A smile adorned Ino's red lips. The blonde knew that she heated up the beating of the men's hearts and exactly this she wanted to use for herself tonight. Gracefully she stroked through her long curly hair and saw to the right from the corner of her eye.

Just in time she could see how Sasuke Uchiha said goodbye to his business partner. The men shook hands and then the black-haired man turned round so Ino could see his face for the first time. Her breath faltered, because she had never seen such a handsome man. She Sasuke's trains were steady and his skin was as pale as porcelain. At first Ino had difficulties to describe his eyes, they looked like black, but her common sense told her that black eyes don't exist.

She picked up her glass and took a big gulp. On the photo that had been shown to her Tsunade had told her immediately that he looked good, however, in the reality he excelled her images terrifically. To the fact came that the photo had to be quite old, because his features were more distinctive than on the photo. Her heart beat up to her neck when he positioned himself next to her and ordered something. Her heart skipped a few beats, Ino realized that this was nothing like the usual kick she always felt when she had to fulfil a mission of this kind. No, it more than bare excitement.

She saw that he took a box of cigarettes out his jacket pocket and looked for a lighter. Ino swallowed hard, then she turned to him. With an equivocal look she looked at him directly. Sasuke Uchiha felt her eyes on him and sighed: "What do you want?"

His rough voice hunted some creeps down her back. As calm as possible the blonde cast down her eyes. "What about a small chat for now?", she licked her lips and felt the black-haired man eyes on her as he turned his head to hers. His dark eyes scrutinized her and he blew out the smoke of his cigarette.

"For now?"

Ino smiled, now she was sure that she had him. "Yes, or you do you have no interest to deepen our acquaintance?"

She played with his tie and was curious how he would react. His face was hard to read but surprisingly he smiled. "I am surprised that such a pretty woman like you selects me for certain acquaintances."

"You would call me pretty?"

"Yeah."

Ino looked directly in his eyes and noted a light blue sting. "I think that you can keep up with me easily."

The Uchiha bent down to her, a smile still adorned his lips. Cold hands touched her shoulder when his face approached hers and he quietly breathed: "You know, your offer sounds tempting, however, I must confess, a pretty woman doesn't tempt me at all."

"Pardon?"

He stubbed out his cigarette and put the money for his drink on the table. "Pretty women are ten a penny. Try it once again if you have gained more level."

With these words he said goodbye and walked away. Ino's yaw had dropped, she couldn't believe what he had said to her. During the last four years in which she worked for the FBI had never happened such a thing to her. Without exception every man could be wrapped around her finger, without doing something. And now in the case of her life, she couldn't count on her most dangerous weapon, the female charms. A little put off, she turned to Kiba who had observed the whole scene from distance. He gave a sign to his colleagues and then walked to Ino.

The Inuzuka leant against the bar and gave her a small smile: "Well, shit happens, although I don't understand, why."

The blonde stroke through her hair and thought sharply, the defeat was hard, but didn't obscure her mind. "Pretty women are ten a penny", she murmured quietly and Kiba looked at her puzzled. "What did he mean?"

She looked at her team mate confused and Kiba stepped in contact with Shino. Inside of the small Fiat Izumi had had been informed about the destructive rebuff. She groaned internally and sank down in her seat. "Great and now?"

"He will disappear through the back door and we stand at the beginning again.", Shino commented drily and Izumi open the door of the car. She was furious, damn it. However, it would have also been too easy if the little game would have worked. "Pretty women are ten a penny! Thank you also! What is up with this statement? An ugly woman wouldn't be recognized by him!" She slammed the front seat passenger's door with full force and turned her back to Shino.

"Where are you going?"

"I need a strong coffee!", she hissed. What should they do now? They might increase the team only under certain circumstances and if they requested for help already, she would only confirm Ibiki's suspicion that they weren't good enough. Furious about the whole situation Izumi crossed the street and stopped in a small cafe. There she ordered herself half a liter of the black coffee.

Shaking his head Shino observed her, no miracle that it had failed her undercover exam. He sighed and checked his clock, the sun would rise again when they would be finished to go through the new plans they had to make. Slowly they needed a success. He wanted to tell Kiba when his whole body cramped.

Not far away from him Uchiha left the cocktail bar however not as supposed through the back entrance. Probably he felt so safe that he even dared to walk without any further protection. This only showed Shino, how big his influence already had to be in the underworld. With a mobile phone on the ear he stepped to the edge of the street and looked around, carefully observed by Shino.

However he realized that something must have caught Sasuke Uchiha's eye. The eyes of the businessman stared over the street and didn't look apathetic at all, it was almost as if he liked what he sees. Shino followed his look and realized that the black-haired looked directly to the cafe where his team mate waited for her order. Shino hesitated. Did Sasuke Uchiha only pretend everything, or had really Izumi caught his eye?

A black sedan stopped and Sasuke Uchiha disappeared. The FBI agent still thought about what he had just observed. With every second he became more sure. Slowly the words of the Uchiha got a clear form. Shino leant his chin against the steering wheel. He let pass the events once again in his mind.

"_Pretty women are ten a penny"_

"_Uchiha prefers unusual women, externally and internally."_

Of course!

Internally he resounds to himself for his shortsightedness! Now it was clear to him what Tsunade had meant with the statement weeks ago.

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"Could you repeat this please once again?" Unbelieving Ino looked at her colleague, the team was again in their office. On the big table there were maps, pictures and lists of different names. The dawn has already arrived. Several boxes of pizza were lying on the ground and some pots of coffee had also been drank today.

"Uchiha loves women who are unusual," Shino explained quietly and leant back.

Kiba bit in his sandwich and looked at him from the corner of the eye. "Unusual?"

"Well, not only they should be pretty, but also somehow remarkable. A woman can be also pretty if she has, for example, a lot of freckles in her face or she weighs a lot of pounds and has nice curves. Got what I mean?"

"No.", Ino spat out. Izumi made a questioning face, she didn't know surely if she was right with her supposition.

Shino sighed out loud, however, his co-workers seemed to have understood what he wanted to tell them. "You mean, he wants something unique. Something what one doesn't see every day, as for example an albino or somebody who has tattoos all over their body!"

Ino trembled at this thought. "Great and where do we get such a woman? In the FBI everybody is 'clean' and none of my co-workers from the undercover part has the lightest resemblance with an albino."

Shino grinned and looked to Izumi. "I know, but we have here somebody who steps out of line with her unusual color of hair."

When Izumi noticed what he meant with it, she tapped on her forehead. It was true that Izumi's hair was red like fire. Everyone would think that it is dyed but it wasn't. She was just a natural red-head.

Never!

However, the statement of her colleague seemed to make sense to Ino and her face brightened.

"No! Forget it!"

"But Izumi –"

"Why not?"

She refused and explained that she hadn't failed the undercover exam just for fun. At the latest after one week they all would be dead and now the price was too high to accept this kind of risk.

"Nevertheless, we don't have any proofs that this guy likes such kind of women. Only because he has rejected Ino. No this is no proof at all!"

Furiously she glanced in the round and hoped change their minds. However, Kiba's look made her uncertain. He grinned. "And if we can prove that he only likes unusual women, are you ready to take over Ino's work?"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked at him, finally, she agreed. "Alright, with real proofs I have nothing against it, but it will cost an amount of work and nerves of you."

Ino smiled as sweet as sugar and promised: "I guess we have to give you a small crash course in order to improve your flirting and to eliminate your insecurity in his presence."

With that her destiny was sealed.

Izumi knew that she had to reckon to give up her whole identity within the next three weeks. Someone would fake her occupation, her identity cards and her whole past. Nothing would become more like this before, until the case was concluded.

The hard conditions were a reason, why Izumi hated undercover work and had always hoped, it would be never used. "Show me three extra ordinary women and I'm in." she assured yawning. For today they were done. She took her coat of the hook and took her bag in her hand. "What about a small break? Is it alright if we meet tomorrow morning half past six?"

Her colleagues had nothing against it and Ino immediately joined Izumi to go home. Finally as both women had closed the door behind them, Kiba turned to Shino.

"What about you?"

"No." he spoke quietly and turned to his PC again. The Inuzuka took a look over his shoulder. "You want to prove to Izumi as fast as only possibly that she is the right person for the job."

"Exactly."

Kiba sighed, then he took the chair beside him. "I'll help you. The earlier we start, the faster we are able to approach him directly."

While both men were about to sketch a plan how they could inspire Izumi for the job, Kiba's gaze wandered over and over again to the shelve on the wall. There were four acts, they all were full with reports on victims.

Because of them they worked. They wanted to give their families peace, aveng the children, parents and other members. Dead people didn't come back again, but the souls of the surviving relatives would find peace again, because they knew that the torturer of their loved ones had got their fair punishment.

However, another point on their list was to prevent that even more people lose their life and which had only happened because of a change of power in the underworld. They worried most about the young generation. They often did not know what they got involved in. Since nobody could explain to them how dangerous Uchiha was for them.

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Heavy drops fell to ground, drops of blood. The ground coloured itself red, steps left traces. A man dressed in a black suit walked next to the big dark warehouse. In the edge of the hall there were several gigantic boxes, fully packed with an unknown product. Serene Sasuke stroke through his hair and stopped at the end of the warehouse. His hands were in his trouser pockets. An abusive grin adorned his lips.

"Well done."

The three hangmen stepped from the darkness, they all carried black jackets, everybody from another company. Gaara leant against a wall, in his ears he had his iPod. Under his eyes were dark edges, probably he had slept badly during some damn nights. Beside him stood Shikamaru who hid his face under a cap. Tiredly he yawned and scratched briefly the back of his neck.

"It was a pleasure!", Naruto grinned contently. "It was an amount of work though, but I am sure, our old friends will feel fine obviously."

Sasuke nodded and his friend laughed quietly. He shared the opinion of the blonde and reached in his jacket, then he threw a bundle bank notes to Naruto. "The reward."

A short look at the money let the hangmen relax. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the amount of money "Why so generous today?"

The Uchiha shrugged his shoulders, his facial play was expressionless, as usual and the hangmen knew that he wanted to thank them with the money indirectly for the fact that they had put his cruel imagination into action. Sasuke wanted to leave for his care when Gaara freed himself of the wall.

"We will get problems."

Immediately Sasuke stopped, without looking back at the red-head. Gaara looked at his boss, the redhead still did not know how he would react, because every action, every gesture and every facial emotion had a decisive meaning. Gaara didn't have the experience, so that he could estimate, when he had annoyed the Uchiha and when he just listened and showed thus that he was relatively in a good mood.

"I have got a hint that the CIS unites now with the FBI. That means double brains shoot against us. We should avoid acquaintances in the next time."

Silence.

He cleared his throat and spoke further. "As it looks, they have discovered the pure drug."

Calmly a cigarette was lightened by Sasuke, a malicious grin still adorned his lips. For his taste the state had used rather long to get that the rabbit now ran differently and now he was the one who played the game. Now they were probably investigating, however, they couldn't have discovered a lot, because, otherwise, his contacts would have given him a call. However, since no one decided to get in touch with him, he understood this as a good sign.

"Then keep an eye on it and have this avoided. Don't forget it is your job.", Sasuke spoke with a bored voice. He had no doubt about the fact that Gaara would do his job. Even if he was skeptical at the beginning when the redhead won the duel against Suigetsu, meanwhile Gaara's careful nose turned out as a real trump.

With firm steps Sasuke left the warehouse, nobody looked at him and he got in the silver Mercedes that was already waiting for him. Only when three hangmen heard the noise of a driving vehicle, they moved again.

"Why are you still here Naruto? I thought you are his driver", Shikamaru yawned with a bored smirk on his face, however, Naruto only threw him a bad look and crossed his arms in front of his chest instead of answering.

Gaara also grinned and explained: "That's easy, Uchiha wants to make an excursion to the female gender, and there Naruto would be only a disadvantage."

"Really?"

"Will you shut up, before I blow off your head?", he reached to his mobile phone, to tell his girlfriend that it will take sometime until he can be home. However, before he had finished dialing the number, Shikamaru took the mobile phone from him. "Forget about it, I can drive you."

The blonde nodded thankfully, then three hangmen left the warehouse. Carefully Shikamaru closed the gate behind himself.

"Since we are done, I simply suppose sometimes that I finally come to the pleasure to enjoy this.", Gaara held up the money and the other two grinned.

"Maybe you should go and get some sleep, than you hanging out somewhere." Shikamaru pointed at the rims at his eye. However, Gaara only declined and strode up directly to his motorcycle. He loved his hot little machine and the other two hangmen knew that, besides, most of his salary was invested in his motor bike. Seconds later the redhead sat up his helmet and turned his machine on. With a nod he said goodbye and drove away with a loud howl.

For a while Naruto looked after him and then opened the front seat passenger's door of Shikamaru's Jaguar. "Sometimes he is really strange.", commented the blonde, as a Shikamaru closed his door.

"You think so?"

"Yeah.", the carriage started and they left the area. "I mean, he works really well, but in my eyes a little bit too well."

Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders when he drove in the direction of highway. "In my eyes we are all strange somehow, because, otherwise, we would not work for Uchiha."

Grinning Naruto leant back and turned on the CD player. "It is just a hard job with an awesome salary."

Shikamaru accelerated, he saw it the same. "And what concerns Gaara's way of working, you are also not exactly a beginner. I mean who can shoot from more than 100 metres of distance that precise that you exactly hit your target?"

Naruto blushed lightly and let out a nervous giggle: "Did you do something wrong or why are you buttering me up?"

"It doesn't matter to me what you think of me, but this is just my view.", tiredly Shikamaru yawned and wished nothing more, than to arrive, finally, at home and to have his rest. Both hangmen fell in silence.

It was generally rare that they carried on a longer private conversation. Mostly they spoke only about work and how they could concern a bigger cup together. Since the more they knew about each other, the harder it would get to shove the others out of the way. t would become the heavy ones to remove the respective other one day sometimes from the way.

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On the next day Izumi tried as fast as possible, she had gone to the crime scene by car. Ino had called her to come here as soon as possible. Her voice had been quiet and slightly fragile. With a fast beating heart Izumi left the highway. She had slept relatively dreamless and firmly. Her What was even clear after the weeks ordeal. Their hands trembled when stopped her car. Actually, Izumi hated to go to crime scenes, because this was the area of the CSI and she didn't want to come too close to them. In addition she didn't know what she would expect. Everywhere she could member of the CSI, the whole area had been closed off. Izumis heart beat up to her neck when she got out of the car, a major operation approached her and exactly this was the things she was most afraid about; because major operation meant major cruelty.

"Sousei Izumi!"

The young woman winced lightly at the furious voice and could recognize her former boss next to her. Ibiki seemed to have had a hard night, because thick edges lay under his eyes. "It was about time! Your colleagues are already present. Come, I would like to show you something."

He led her in the inside of the warehouse and even before Izumi had done the first step in the inside, a strong smell confronted her. Till present nobody had entered the crime scene, because she couldn't see any blocks from the CSI. This fact allowed her pulse to accelerate.

The ground was drowned in red and at first she asked herself, where this came from, however, then Izumi noted that something dropped down. Izumi took a look upwards and her eyes widened. Her whole body hardened, she was incapable to say something, too terrible was the picture that was presented.

Dead people, strangled by cords hung on the beams of the warehouse.

The faces of the victims were stiff, expressionless and lifeless. In her entire life she had never been confronted with such a cruelty. Her whole body got cold and shortly after deaf. Izumi tried to control the shaking of her hands, however, it was helpless. More than 100 people had to hang on the cover.

Who took the right to judge over them?

These unknown people had family, friends and above all a right on life.

Why would somebody do such a thing?

"This is unambiguously the work of the Uchiha clan", she heard Ibiki's quiet voice. It was as if it was a kilometre away from her. "No traces … only the three hangmen are able to do something like this. Not a single fingerprint is here, or any fibers."

Izumi eyes fell down, her hands balled to fists. Without saying another word she turned round and left her former superior. An extensive fury climbed up in her, she had never been so angry.

This monster of Uchiha!

How could he do such a thing?

Was it pleasure to him to play with human life?

She answered this question herself. Yes!

Izumi strode up directly to her colleagues who were standing near a black car. Ino looked shocked, the blonde had probably vomited a few minutes ago. Even Kiba seemed to have lost his voice, he was strangely pale. The only one of them who looked somewhat content was Shino. He looked up from the ground when he recognized Izumi and pushed himself off the carriage.

Izumi searched for the right words to explain her condition, however, she was not able.

"There are a total of two women in Uchihas lives.", began Shino and attracted thus the complete attention to him. "Number one, Hateshi Chisaki.", he pulled out a photo of a woman with long black hair. Her face was average, however, her hair shone like silk. „Number two, Victora van Dixen."

Izumi took the photo from his hand and scrutinized the rather pretty woman. Her skin was so bright that she believed that she has never seen the sun in her life. However, her biggest recognition value was reflected in her eyes. Izumi had never seen such brown eyes, it was already almost as if they were golden.

"Do we still have to find a third one?", Shino's voice was clear and objective.

Immediately her colleagues looked at her questioningly. Izumi knew what he wanted. In plain English, the sooner she co-operated to work undercover, the faster they would get rid of Uchiha.

Silently Izumi opened the door of the car and got inside. When the others didn't mover, after she had turned on the engine, she gave them a look: "What are you waiting for? We have to go to the office."

Kiba looked at her quite irritated but soon a smirk crept on his face "You want to listen our plan?"

"Yes.", answered the young FBI agent shortly and Ino swung herself on the back seat.

A sigh of relief escaped her red lips "Izumi, you have no idea how happily you make us with that"

"Or how fast I will get you killed.", she commented with a sarcastic undertone, however, Shino who sat down beside her, ignored it. "We will prepare you perfectly, there won't be a possibility for you to fail at all."

"And, moreover, …", Ino subjoined. "You still can take the bull by the horns and driving a car is something you are very good at."

Both young women had to laugh and remembered the exam during which they had to hunt down their instructors in a car. For Izumi it had been very easy to follow them in her car then Ino only had shot to them from the sunroof in the tires. There had been a big sound, however, at last they had passed this exam with excellence.

When Izumi left the area and drove towards the highway, Kiba murmured behind her: "It is about time that we show the Uchiha clan what the FBI is capable of."

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	4. The Kidnapping

**|$| The Kidnapping |$|**

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The night had fallen over Los Angeles, a light touch of fog crept over the streets. It was as if the fog wanted to hide something, a secret whose value nobody should know. Dim lights lit the streets, only a few people were still outside and coldness crawled over the few street lamps. Not even the moon was glowing in the sky. Big, dark clouds had crawled in front of him and absorbed every light.

However, the weather didn't interest Izumi at all right now. The preparations for the today's evening had lasted a whole of three days, without a real break. For hours she had played through awkward situations with Ino and she was just able to hope that she would react properly when it depended.

Izumi had to admit that the plan of Shino was brilliant. First she would interfere in reputable company with the people of the upper ten thousand. A good friend and probably also a business partner Uchiha's celebrated his 10 year-old jubilee as an official.

Charles Ravon, her evening company, a good friend of the Uchiha would introduce her in the world of the upper society. The good guy at the age of something about 50 worked only together with the FBI, in order not to be discovered as a swindler of phony accountancy of his company.

As self-confident as possible Izumi linked her arm with her companion, as she rose from the car. The chubby small man with a half bald head smiled. "May I take note that you look miraculous today, my beautiful? "

He laid his arm around her waist and pulled her towards the lift. As she had arrived there Izumi couldn't help it but to scrutinize her reflexion that was seen in the big window panes of the building. She wore a black cocktail dress which released her back completely and was cut off in the height of her knees. Under normal circumstances she would never have worn such a dress in her life, however, the today's evening should also run be everything else but normal. The dress cuddled up advantageously to her curves and she was glad that Ino owned such good eyes for fashion. Besides, in the slightly high sandals she could also do one step after another without looking like a stork on stilts. Ino had pinned up her shoulder-long hair laxly, so that only two strands framed her face.

"Thank you, I return the compliment with pleasure, "Izumi breathed out when the lift started moving.

Charles scrutinized her more thoroughly. "I hope, tonight you will do well‚ 'cause if you fail I am in it too. "

A typical statement for a man who was already scared shitless. She laid a hand on his shoulder and her face approached his slowly. "No worry, this won't happen. "

Izumi knew that she sounded more self-confident than she really was. However, right now there was no reason to worry, because at the bar Ino worked and dressed up as a waiter Kiba was on the move, without him being recognized. And finally Shino maintained the position outdoors. Nothing at all could fail, at least theoretically.

The lift stopped and both entered the big floor that had been reserved only for today's evening.

Izumi had never seen such a mix from elegance and youth. The big bar was in the rear part of the floor and if you wanted to reach it, one had to cross a big dance floor, with living-room furniture. The whole had been kept in a tender white. Disco balls gave colors to the room and certain things provided special effects. Music roared from gigantic boxes and the DJ gave his best in his separated area.

More than 200 guests were loaded and Izumi recognized that most of them were in party mood completely. Everywhere there were jokes, people ate by the big sideboard and danced. It could have been a quite normal party if the excessive luxury hadn't been visible.

"I would prefer it if we say hello to the host first, "Charles breathed in her ear and she was surprised about how well he could allow give her the status as one of his many lovers. Probably he had acted in his life often enough. Shortly after that a big thin man kissed her hand and did jokes with her. Internally Izumi was disgusted, because she knew that the excessively friendly man had dealt with many dead people before.

After she had briefly talked to other women of the upper society, she explained to her companion that she wanted to look around a little on her own. As calm as possible she looked at the big buffet. A little desperation interfered with her expression.

"There are terrible a lot of things to eat, isn't there? " A gentle woman's voice sounded from her left.

Surprised Izumi looked in two bright pale blue eyes. The black-haired woman smiled uncertainly and Izumi giggled lightly. "Oh yeah and the embarrassing is, I don't know the half of the food. "

The unknown woman in the bright dress laughed quietly: "To tell the truth, me neither. Therefore, I keep only to what I know. "

Izumi sighed. "In moments like this one is caught at the fact that one is a regular customer in Mc Donalds. "

Once more both smiled at themselves, then the red-haired women took in a deep breath before introducing herself: "Sousei Izumi. " She streched out one of her slim hands to the black-haired which she accepted shyly.

For any reason Izumi already liked her without knowing her, her being looked so quiet and friendly that she asked herself what such a woman had to search on an event like this. From the appearance she was rather insignificant and worked by no means like one of these evening tarts to which she belonged tonight unfortunately.

"Hyuuga Hinata."

Izumi nodded and at the same moment something rattled in her brain. It became clear to her that in front of her stood one of the well-known heirs of the Hyuuga Empire. She was surprised that a woman like her had, nevertheless, problems with today's food.

"I myself don't like the French kitchen particularly, "Hinata quietly confessed, as if she had read the thoughts of her opponent. "I prefer Chinese and Italian. "

Izumi sighed as unobtrusive as possible. "It would have been too nice to get pizza served. "

Hinata had to bite her lip badly to keep back a loud laughter. "May I ask who your companion is? I have never seen you here before. "

"I refused for some time to accompany Charles on such events, "Izumi admitted and nodded in the direction of the living-room furniture and Hinata asked cautiously. "Charles Ravon?"

The red-head nodded and explained that she had met him some time ago in the office of her boss. "He is a very stubborn admirer. "

The Hyuuga nodded groaning. "Oh! You can say that again! ", it looked completely as if somebody had some real experience with Charles Ravon.

Just in time as Izumi wanted to deepen the conversation, her comrade was called. Surprised Hinata turned round and apologized. "Looks like as if my cousin needs me once more as an interpreter. "

Izumi had to laugh. "This is what you get if you don't pay attention at school. "

"Maybe I should tell him this, "Hinata passed Izumi once more her hand "Maybe we speak to each other in the course of the evening once again. It was nice to make your acquaintances and I really hope to see you soon. "

"Likewise."

With this the black-haired woman disappeared as fast as she had come and Izumi felt as foreign again as five minutes before. The conversation with the Hyuuga had let her forget, why she was here in general.

The party was so big that Izumi asked herself whether she could put out her target. In addition the hardest part was to draw his attention to her. Not that she couldn't flirt well, but the thought that she would have to do it with a murderer frightened her.

On the spur of the moment Izumi walked in the direction of bar and sat down gallantly on a bar stool. She crossed her legs and wanted to order herself a fruity cocktail. "You know that drinking isn't allowed while you are working, "commented a whispering voice as a waitress showed her the menu for the cocktail.

Izumi looked up and discovered a dark-haired woman with rimless glasses. In her life she wouldn't have recognized Ino. From the pretty blonde was not a lot left any more. "I'm aware of that, but I also didn't know how dull this party is. "

"But not for much longer, "Ino said and pointed at a cocktail that she could have. "He is here and how it looks, he has already discovered you. Oh well, at least as far as Charles has introduced you to him indirectly. "

Izumi made an undecided face, so it looked as if she could not decide. "Don't think I'm stupid! Charles has talked all the time to this crazy beanpole. "

Ino put on a professional look. "Exactly this is the dangerous thing about him; you hardly note his presence, only if you stand directly in front of him, you are surprised in a bad way. So my Lady, then you want the Florida? "

Izumi slammed the menu shut with an artificial smile and nodded: "Thank you for your sacrificing patience. "

Ino carried it off well and served her the cocktail minutes later. Carefully Izumi took the cocktail and left the bar, she did not feel like watching her friend at work, moreover, this would not have been advisable anyhow. Her evening company was hard occupied to fill his stomach on the sideboard.

Izumi smiled and wanted to go up to him when he was demanded once more by a commercial colleague. She sighed and walked into the opposite direction. Something had attracted her attention.

Drawn in by a fantastic view of the town, Izumi stepped near the wall-sized window. She would have almost forgotten that she was on the 25th floor. Her eyes were glittering with amazement. It was as if she looked on a sea of lights. She had never seen such a beauty.

Izumi's clutch around her cocktail glass increased, she tried to feel full on this huge view; however whether she discovered the highway now or the big shopping center in which she made her regular purchases, and nothing let her enthusiasm dwindle. Izumi touched the cold disc with her fingertips. The time around her seemed to stop for a few seconds and she forgot what her real reason was, why she was here.

"Do you always ignore your surroundings when you spot of a nice view? "

The quiet voice on her right side tore Izumi again in the present. She smiled and turned to her neighbor. "It depends. "

Her heart skipped a beat.

Beside her stood that man to whom she had poured on his own coffee over the jacket some weeks ago and had renounced the bill of the cleaning. To see him here again was one damn big chance … or, maybe just destiny.

"On what? "

"Oh well …", Izumi slowly began. "Whether if it is something unique or special. "

The black-haired man besides her nodded and took a gulp of his champagne glass. Nevertheless, Izumi talked further, she was too surprised, to meet him here and today. "You seem to be accustomed such views. "

He briefly shrugged his shoulders and leant against the disc with the back. "Actually yes, but when I saw you stand here so enthusiastically, I simply had to keep company with you. "

The young FBI agent grinned, she liked his chill and objective voice, it was as if he had himself always under control, probably he was quiet from nature. Just like nearly all present men he carried a black unobtrusive suit. Izumi briefly threw a look at his hands and found out that he was not married.

"Do you do this a lot?"

"What?"

"To keep company with a foreign woman."

He smiled lightly and denied. "Not really, but you are also not a stranger. "

Obviously he also remembered their meeting in the Coffee shop. In order to talk further to him, the red-head threw him a look: "Don't you think that one cannot count it also foreign if one not even knows the name of his opponent? "

His look became serious again: "If you think that I haven't done my homework, then I must disappoint you. "

Confused Izumi looked at him; she didn't understand exactly what he meant with it.

"Nevertheless, I speak with Izumi Sousei, don't I? "

She stopped short and answered hesitantly: "Yes … how do you …? "

The black-haired nodded into Charles' direction and explained: "Your charming companion did not leave to boast with you in front of me. "

"He did? " Izumi still didn't know whether she should be grateful to the old person or if she should deliver a well-arranged sermon with the next opportunity. She drank somewhat of her cocktail and hoped that Ino had really left out the alcohol.

"Indeed, and I must confess, he had all reason for it. "

Izumi blushed and tried to hide it. "Now you are already that far to make me compliments and I still don't know your name. " Her opponent seemed dismayed a little; probably he assumed that she knew him already.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Her pulse was racing.

To the outside Izumi tried to remain as calm as she had practiced hundred times with Ino, however, against her will her heart beat up to her neck and she closed her hands more firmly around her cocktail glass.

Why hadn't she believed her intuition on that evening?

Just because she was tired?

This was no excuse; a FBI agent had always to be watchful. One would demand her dismissal if someone found out about that serious mistake. Too often they had practiced to recognize targets after an operation in their face on the academy and now where she needed her knowledge of the theory; she wasn't able to recognize him at all.

Internally Izumi tried to remain as calm as only possible and she was surprised how well she succeeded. The redhead smiled under strain. "Have you come alone, Mr. Uchiha? "

Sasuke hardly nodded noticeably and explained: "I seldom visit occasions with company, it disturbs me if I must look after somebody the whole evening. "

"Oh I understand, "Izumi drank somewhat of her cocktail, she considered just how she could hold the conversation in the way when he preempted to her.

"Can I ask you something personal?"

"Of course, "she was surprised about his politeness, but probably one behaved in such a way in such circles. On an event in her society one simply asked no matter whether it was fitting or not.

"Do you love him? "The Uchiha pointed at Charles and surprised Izumi that much so that she had to realize first of all what he had just asked. Since she gave no answer, Sasuke continued. "I understand of course that his winning kind makes him charming. To the fact comes that he knows how to handle his finances rather well. "

The FBI agent smiled lightly as she raised her eyebrows. "It is not the money what I find engaging about Charles. " What did he think of her actually? Sasuke showed no emotion, which is why she further spoke: "And I also feel no more profound feelings for him. He is a business partner of my superior and asked me to accompany him. "

"A simple evening entourage?"

"Yes, "she smiled. "I wanted to deny first, but after he lured me with tasty food and good music here I finally accepted." She could see that the features of the man beside her relaxed. "Nevertheless, I must admit that neither food nor the music particularly respond to me. "

Sasuke sighed besides her and confessed "To be honest, it goes for me similarly. I think the whole event is a little bit too loud. "

"If it was only this! " Izumi laughed. "I have starved because of the supposedly great food here the whole day, can you imagine how my stomach looks? "

Before she had been able to prevent it, her teenage slang had come out again. Internally she could have kicked herself where was the clean note that she should strike? However, Mr. Uchiha seemed make no difference it if she talked contact-speaking with him.

His look glided through the hall, she could recognize by his expression that he was thinking. "I make you a proposal, "he finally began and Izumi pricked up her ears. Her heart beat unintentionally up to the neck. How Ino had forecast, his presence made her nervous. "You can be kidnapped by me and get proper, furthermore you will get a view that you haven't seen in your entire life. And as a consideration you keep company with me. "

The FBI agent hesitated to accept the offer and thought everything through. "Kidnapping sounds a little brutal. "

Amazed by her objection Sasuke subjoined: "A kidnapping without pain. "

He was not used of taking care of somebody. Every woman was usually immediately ready to go with him, however, the woman in front of him was different, and he had felt it already at their first meeting.

She was not the type for superficial contacts, because, otherwise, she would have bothered him in the first evening with the fact that they should step in contact once again. Because she had not done it, put out exactly her charm.

Izumi thought about it, she was going for broke, because if she gave a removal to him, she wouldn't be able to come close to him never again like she was now. "Alright, then I may be kidnapped by you. "

A grin adorned his lips and he took the cocktail from her hand. He gave it a passing waiter and smiled at her "You won't regret it. "

Unerringly he walked in front of her to the cloakroom and asked for their jackets, then he helped her in her coat and Izumi stayed still for one moment in which she looked to the bar to her friend, however, Ino was hard occupied to serve the guests.

Internally chaos ruled with her. Nevertheless, her colleagues would certainly take up the pursuit, wouldn't they?

Because about this she got involved here, was a game with the fire in which she could burn herself badly. Only when Izumi felt the cold air in her face and slammed the door of the hotel behind her, she could catch a clear thought again. In front of her a black car stopped and somebody detained the door to her, while her target took place directly at the wheel.

There was no going back anymore.

No escape.

Either now she got through the whole, or she was dead.

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The night was dark, as Izumi took a look out of the window. For half an hour already she sat silently beside a man whom she knew just a little bit more than two hours. Also he was quiet and seemed to make no institution to interrupt this silence. With help of his reflexion in the window she had observed him all the time long.

Sasuke Uchiha.

He was a cruel person and, nevertheless, it was difficult for her to believe this. The black-haired looked calm, well-balanced and especially polite. Though by her education she had learnt that a person could have different faces, however, she had not really experienced such a thing yet.

Izumi scrutinized his level-according features. He looked indisputable good and she could imagine that even Ino's heart had beat up her throat.

"Miss Sousei, you are unusual quiet."

His clear voice let her almost wince. Izumi had a hard time to keep up her carefree nature. "I ask myself all the time where we are going to, "she explained and it wasn't even a lie.

Her neighbor smiled lightly and increased their speed as they drove on the high way. "What do you suppose then? "

The FBI agent thought sharply, finally, she admitted: "I guess a sort of a viewing platform. You know, Mr. Uchiha the Statue of Liberty or something similar. ", however, shortly after that Izumi energetically declined. "However, you have said, I will get to see a view that I have never seen in my life. And with my common sense I think that it is not the Statue of Liberty, moreover, we would need quite a time to get to New York."

The Uchiha couldn't deny that he was surprised; to the change he once had gotten a company who knew how to use her head.

"Well … and it also can't be a restaurant", Izumi continued. "Since you cannot know which ones I have already visited once and secondly, most restaurant are already closed."

Sasuke tried to confuse her a little bit, as he mentioned that he could be a man who owned so much influence that for him closed restaurants opened. However, Izumi couldn't be disconcerted. "No, I can't think of a simple restaurant, I guess it hast o be something that is owned by you privately. "

Sasuke put the indicator and turned, before Izumi could read the exit sign. "Damn … I would say, we are close to it. "

The redheaded woman stretched her head "Anyhow I have the feeling, you don't want to let me know where we are heading to. "

The fact that she had noted this fact, amused Sasuke a little, but the criminal didn't comment it any further. "By the way, were the spots removable? ", she began suddenly and he didn't know at first what she meant, however because she talked happily further, he found out by himself. "The coffee spots were not quite small. I am surprised that you have not burnt yourself. "

"To be honest, the coffee was already quite cold."

"Oh. "

The carriage stopped and immediately Izumi looked around, however even before she could open the front seat passenger's door, somebody did it for her.

"We are here", announced Sasuke and got out. The FBI agent, nevertheless, looked right into the face of a blond man who wished her politely good evening and she left the car.

At first she believed to be at the wrong place. Sasuke stepped around the car and passed her his hand, only hesitantly the young woman accepted his offer. She was too overpowered by that what lay before her. Internally the Uchiha grinned and praised himself for his decision to take her with him.

They were in a harbor and directly in front lay his personal ship. The yacht was glittering in the light of the moon and thanks to his employee's work she was as inviting as ever. She was big more than three floors and her uppermost deck was made out of glass, so that one could observe the stars without having to go outward. Uncertainly Izumi followed him. Several employees bowed to her when she entered the ship.

"Is this yours?"

"Yeah."

Izumi had to swallow when she stepped in the inside of the ship and sneaked a peek at the covers of glass, she was astonished. Carefully she put one step after another and looked around the space. The ground shone and dipped the gigantic space in a pleasant light.

Several palms and plants applied and gave her almost the feeling, she would be outdoors. On the right she could put out an octagonal table where two chairs were placed. Besides was a big dining car that almost broke down under its load.

The smell of food lured her, still she could resist due to the fantastic view. Still looking up to the ceiling she stepped to the end of the space and touched the cold disc with her palms. She had never seen such a beauty.

"How about if we devote ourselves to food first and then I will show you our real target? " Sasuke had stepped behind her and startled Izumi turned round. For one moment long she had forgotten, why she was here and especially with whom. The Uchiha helped her to take off her coat and moved her chair when she took a seat.

"May I ask you something Mr. Uchiha?"

"Go ahead," spoke Sasuke and observed her from the corner of his eye as a maidservant poured out them wine and applied food afterwards. He noticed that Izumi scrutinized the food uncertainly.

"When have you known that you will kidnap me and drag me here? "

He had only known that he would take a woman here with him tonight; however who he would take with him was something he haven't thought about, his central issue would be to entertain him tonight with her charms. The young woman still did not know which intentions he had; actually, however, he would take care that she would bend to his will with pleasure.

"To be around honest … I cannot answer the question. " Amazed from this skilful evasive action Izumi began to eat and he had not disappointed her. It tasted very good, even if she exactly did not know what she ate there. Even before a bigger silence could appear between them, Sasuke spoke: "Tell me something about you. "

Izumi frowned "There isn't a lot to tell. You already know my name. What would like you to find out? "

Sasuke reached for his wineglass, he seemed to think about it briefly: „"Let me explain it like this: Something positive. "

A small smile appeared on Izumi's face. "If you now want to hear what great honoring I have already got, then I must disappoint you, because except the seahorse in swimming I have nothing to show off. "

Izumi was surprised herself as she realized how laxly she handled his company. Usually she stuttered continually and didn't know how she should behave, however, his kind made it easy for her be as normal as possible.

"Where did you grow up?"

"Washington. ", she explained contently, it wasn't even a lie. "I really liked my life there, however, the death of my mother was the reason that my uncle dragged me to Europe. "

Amazed Sasuke pulled up his eyebrows. "You were in Europe? "

The woman in front of him nodded. "For a whole time of five years, after that I got back in the states. Europe is not exactly my area. "

"Oh yeah", Sasuke eyed the redhead in front of him and noticed that his company scrutinized her food even more. "Don't you like caviar? "

Izumi solidified.

She ate caviar?

"Not particularly. " Her stomach turned round and she resisted the urge to vomit. Just when he wanted to suggest something, Izumi hesitated.

Something had changed.

She got up and looked around, her eyes wandered through the room and looked outside.

Her core cramped.

The yacht had weighed the anchor. Her core contracted, she was afraid. Since now she was alone if it should become serious, none of her colleagues could intervene. For the first time since the beginning of the order she had to depend on herself completely. "You allowed hoisting the anchor? " In front of her eyes they left Los Angeles and she could do nothing against it.

"Yes. ", Sasuke's answer was a short and he stepped next to her. "I have promised to you, finally, a view that you have never seen. "

"But we won't leave the states?"

Amazed by her imagination the Uchiha had to grin and moved up to her. "In view of the longer stay on my yacht I think we can drop the formal manner. "

The fact that he did not show any interest to her question, made Izumi even more nervous than she already was. He held all threads in his hand and decides about the events. Nothing else did she hate more, as if she did not know what came up to her.

Only now it became conscious to her what the Ibiki's words meant when he had preached to them something over and over again in the academy. Fear is a mighty feeling, every time it can overpower one. The art to control it, one cannot train, either one is able to do it and tries to use up any feelings in one or one's cover is blown up and is dead.

"However, you quickly become private. ", noted Izumi and smiled what was obviously difficult for her. Her heart still hit up to her neck and she, finally, forced herself to a smile.

A cold hand glided softly over her back and with suddenly Izumi was aware how close he was to her. Creeps overcame her didn't remain hidden to him. His voice was quiet but still loud enough for her to understand him.

"I remind you only of our deal, food and view for company. ", he stroked her hair aside and she felt his breath in her neck. Izumi had to swallow and to her it became clear that he understood something else under company than she did. How should she react now in order not to any further?

"But must one not redeem his deal, before you give me what you offered to me? ", she auditioned with naivety. However, Sasuke smiled only about her words and his hands went up to her waist. Still through the material through she felt the cold that surrounded him.

His lips approached her ear. "Look properly. "

First Izumi did not understand what he meant, because there were too many ways in the sea in front of her. She lifted her face and solidified.

In front of her she could see how the clear water of the sea reflected the sky and all of a sudden the sea was not so dark at all as she had believed. The bright stars and the full moon demonstrated the water like a sea with thousands of diamonds. She had never seen such a beauty, because this exceeded by far to the beauty of the town that she had seen just two hours ago. Her eyes were stuck to this view.

"Did I promise too much? "

Incapable to answer she easily shook her head. She soaked up every single centimeter of this discovery. Why did nearly no one know about this place? A great view usually gets around easily.

"This is nuts! Awesome! I mean, this is huge! "

Enthusiastically she turned round and broke therefore the crackling atmosphere.

Now without interruption she talked to him and she made thus a beaming face like a small child who was about to just discover the world. Izumi left her opponent no more chance to steer the situation. Her enthusiasm put him off completely and at first Sasuke did not know whether she did it on purpose, or if she was really this excited as she appeared towards him.

He practiced himself in patience, because he knew, the night was long and he always got what he wanted.

Without exception.

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	5. Chances play along

**| $ | Chances Play Along | $ |**

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Worriedly a young woman with long dark hair walked up and down in her small kitchen.

On the cooker a pot with soup was simmering. Every now and then she stopped to stir the soup, however, and then she went four steps up once more to the window to turn there again and to go to the door. Nervously the Asian stroked through her long hair and sighed repeatedly this evening.

Slowly Tenten lost her nerves.

For over five hours her friend was overdue. Such a thing had never happened. Today she only reached the mail box of Izumi's cell phone. Something told her that her friend was in danger and that something had happened to her. She had already called Ino, a colleague, for four times however, she expressed herself only vaguely and explained that everything was alright.

"Yeah sure!", Tenten yelled. "My ass! I understand, that the work is confidential and so on, but, nevertheless, one must know at least where the people are!"

She issued the cooker and scooped herself some soup on a plate, then she walked with a spoon in her mouth right into the sitting room, tiredly she dropped herself on the couch and sighed once more.

In the beginning when she started to share a flat with Izumi, it hadn't struck her at all that her occupant exercised a job that was not too typical for an American citizen. First she had found everything thrilling and new, however, with the time it had become clear to her that Izumi's job was everything else but not great. Very hard and deadly work met it rather.

Tenten switched on the television, however, for some reason she could not concentrate. Just as she was in trance the program rushed along her.

Why did she need to worry about everyone?

Furiously about the fact that Izumi was to blame that she thought of all possible but not about herself, she rose again. Crusty Tenten turned off the television, tilted the rest of her soup away and stepped in the room of her occupant. Almost the brunette would have left the room backwards.

What mess!

The bed broke down under the things that Izumi had torn randomly from the cupboard. The ground was full with documents; probably she had had some sort of brilliant brain wave the last night if it was about her work. Then, nevertheless, the redhead ploughed the night by actual, until it was confirmed what she supposed.

Tenten shook her head and paved herself a way through the documents. No miracle that Izumi had never brought a man with her.

"With this chaos I would also not dare to bring one with me," murmured the brown-haired quietly. "The guy would run away screaming."

Finally she arrived at Izumi's desk she threw a short look at the whole little slips of paper that were decorated with some telephone numbers. Because she found nothing useful, she took a look to the bulletin board and lifted an eyebrow amazed. Unerringly she reached to the firmly pinned photo and scrutinized it more. It was relatively big, indeed, already a little older.

"That Izumi has quite a good taste is nothing new to me, however I didn't knew that she had such a good one."

The photo showed a young black-haired man who just was about to turn round and smoked a cigarette. So this man was really behind her disappearance.

Tenten had to grin.

She couldn't wait to see Izumi the next morning.

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Izumi hated herself.

Namely for the fact that she had decided to agree to this job as an undercover agent. Only she would be stupid enough to agree to this crap.

The evening had run in her opinion quite well, at least till present. Now she would fail, of that she was quite sure.

A cold hand held hers and pulled her with him. A smile adorned the mouth of the black-haired and Izumi was aware what should happen now.

He wanted to sleep with her, exactly, therefore, he had taken her with him. Man understood by a normal company nowadays always that the company is moved in the bedroom. All other would be also too dull, she thought sarcastically.

Although …

Izumi was ashamed for the following thought.

One night with him would not be certainly the worst what could happen to her. He looked incredibly good, during dinner she had herself a tough time to pull herself together in order not to stare at him all the time. He was maintained, had manners and certainly a body that promised pure luxury. Indeed he would be a great lover.

At this moment bit Izumi her tongue. Now she started just like Ino! The bad influence of the blonde already showed effect. The FBI agent lifted her head and noted that they had passed several open rooms. Something had to occur to her to be able to stretch from the affair very gallantly. To sleep with him irritated her though, but she couldn't agree on this trade with her conscience.

Finally, she was not here because she wanted to, but because of her job. Everything what she did serve the state and the surviving relatives who mourned for the victims. Convulsively she searched for a possibility in order to escape this situation when the destiny hurried to her for help. Relief spread in her and she smiled.

Surprises of the fact that the woman stopped behind him, Sasuke turned round. The first what he saw was her beaming face. However, then relief interfered and he was taken aback. Izumi let go of his hand and darted through the door of a big room. I

n quiet steps she passed directly the big chimney. She didn't notice the armchairs and the splendid leather sofa. Sasuke wanted to ask her, why she didn't follow him anymore when he saw that the piano fascinated her. The big black piano stood directly beside the couch and offered a marvelous look at the sea. Carefully the fingers of the young woman flew over the black and white keys.

Internally Sasuke sighed. Slowly he became impatient, usually he cannot be detained for so long.

"Would you, Mr. Uchiha mind if I'd play the piano a bit?"

Her imploring voice resounded through the big sitting room and Sasuke noted that she still kept up that polite speech. Bored Sasuke shrugged and sat down in his armchair.

Izumi's face was glowing and so she sat down on the small stool. The Uchiha observed her how she searched the keys with luminous eyes. Probably it was for a long time, since she had played on such a valuable piano. He himself used the thing, actually, more as a decoration. Tiredly he loosened his tie, he wanted that she finished as fast as possible, so that he could tear her clothes of her body.

Still while he thought his plan through once again, the first sounds were heard. Soft and steadily they penetrated to him and Sasuke did not come round to lean back calmly.

"My father taught me how to play," explained the redhead quietly. "Of course he was able to do it far better than me, but I have never given up hope to reach his level some day."

Her voice sounded sad and melancholy. Sasuke looked at her and noted that she held her eyes closed as she was playing. Surprised about her talent he briefly wanted to close his eyes.

The soft sounds of the piano changed into a wonderful melody and he started to ask himself what song she was just playing. Almost he would have pulled himself up to ask her, however, then he gave up since he didn't want to interrupt her play.

His body sank deeper in the upholsterer of the armchair. His position relaxed, to his luck he had already taken off the jacket during dinner, so that his arms dangled laxly about the armrests. Before Sasuke knew what was happening to him, he drifted with the pleasant music in a deep firm sleep. Around him everything was getting dark and his mind stopped to work.

After half an eternity Izumi dared to look up and found out contently that her plan had been a full success. Of course she had had to calculate on the fact that her plan could have failed, however, to her luck he liked the music and he had fallen asleep because of the soft sounds. For a while she observed him in his sleep and had to smile.

Her fingers darted continually over the keys. For the first time in this evening she was internally completely calm. Her pulse went normal and her heart did not beat up to her neck. She had dissuaded him from his plan and hoped that he would also sleep up to the morning. Thus his presence can be bearded easily.

Izumi looked out of the window while playing the piano. The sea still sparkled like diamonds and reflected the moon. She had to admit, he had kept his promise to present to her something what she had never seen in her life.

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"Half past six," commented a slightly irritated voice and let both men turn around. Izumi's colleagues were in the harbor where the redhead went on the yacht. All three sat on a sort of cargo bunker. Bored Shino and Kiba let their legs dangle. The Inuzuka ate with relish his Chinese noodles, while Shino themselves poured a new hot coffee.

"Hm?"

"No hm!" hummed Ino, she was irritated and especially tired. "I can think of something better, than to make a night of it."

"You already made a night of it," remarked Shino in the darkness. Tailing somebody sometimes brought an immense disadvantage with it, particularly if it was as dark as now, just as dark that you weren't able to see your own hand in front of your eyes.

What a filthy jerk!

In thoughts Ino was about to insult their target continually. Why did he to show off with that huge yacht?

Thus Izumi was completely put on herself, nobody would be able to intervene if it became more awkward. The child would be never able to defend herself against a guy like him. What if she already bummed around deadly somewhere in these gigantic waters in front of her?

It would last forever, until they would have found her corpse if they found it at all! The blonde brushed her long her aside and sat down beside Shino who offered her somewhat of his noodles to her,

"Wiretapping is also not possible?"

Kiba swallowed his food: "The distance is too big."

"No," Shino contradicted indifferently. " I didn't bug her."

Within seconds Ino's face became a darker color. Her voice overturned. "You did WHAT?"

"Be quiet!", Kiba swore hectically, however, his colleague declined. "And not a soul about except mosquitoes!" Then she turned again to Shino. "How could you? What if Izumi needs our help? You cannot let her do this all alone!"

The Inuzuka had winced due to her squawking over and over again and made a painfully grimace, while Shino still looked as uninterested like he already was for four hours.

"What if someone torments her and if she has certain information for us? What if she listens in that somebody should be murdered whom we could still save maybe?" Hundreds of possibilities shot through her head. The fact that her colleague was still calmness himself, made her only raving. "We are talking here about human life!"

With a loud clink Shino put down his cup: "Sometimes one must sacrifice a human life in order not to endanger even more."

Immediately Ino got mute. Of course, this was also clear to her, but, nevertheless, this still was not acceptable. Furiously the blonde bit her lip and Kiba noted the tense mood in the air.

He wanted to say something when the device gave a signal next to him. It was possibly as big as an old radio, however, it had quite another function. It indicated in the vicinity of 50 kilometers all ships. Amazed he looked on the radar and found out that a ship headed directly for the harbor.

"Guys, I believe, our living wiretap returns."

Immediately the mood and arguing exchanged a look. "I guess the best is if you head for Izumi's flat. She will need your support. Shino, you swing your ass back in the office. I will provide for the fact that Uchiha's yacht is somehow marked and we find the ship again."

"You don't think seriously that he imports drugs with his ship!", spoke Ino quick-tempered. "This is impossible, ships are searched thoroughly in foreign countries quite well, before they may leave the harbor."

Shino shrugged only with his shoulders. Somehow Uchiha had to smuggle the drugs in the country, otherwise he wouldn't have made himself such a good name in the underworld. Supposedly the air was supervised too well, then only the sea remained.

"You know Ino," Shino began quietly. "You aren't with the FBI like Kiba and me, but after a certain time you think that everything is possible. All the same how unrealistically it sounds. You may be certainly a good undercover agent, but you lack just as well as Izumi the way of thinking of a criminal."

With these words he disappeared in the darkness and Kiba looked after him silently, then he turned round to his colleague. „Don't take me wrong, okay? But he is right."

The Yamanaka was quiet , because she knew herself that her colleagues properly were right. To Izumi and her it was simply still absent in imagination concerning the real cruelty of the dark side.

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Izumi didn't know what had woken her up, but she confessed that she had slept that good than in this short time she had spent on this ship. Sleepy she threw the cover aside and looked through the wonderful bedroom.

The French bed was nearly three times bigger than hers at home. Soft sheets wrapped up her body. Her feet touched the white carpet and she noted that she had woken up because somebody had entered the room.

She walked past the gigantic tan cupboard and the Hollywood make-up table. Last night she had already examined the make-up table and must admit that she had never seen so many different colors of eye shadow and lip gloss. However, her momentary attention was valid for something quite different.

Carefully she stopped in front of the so-called living-room furniture where two artistic chairs stood with a nice round table on whose filing she could be reflected. On one of the chairs there were clothes. With the fingertips she raised the big cord pullover that had to reach up to her thighs. It was slightly brownish and had a huge neckline.

"Should I wear this without a top?" The corners of her mouth twitched in amusement. So she had seen a thing like that already only on television and under it the models carried mostly a black top.

Even as Izumi wanted to snap indignantly for air, she noted that one granted very well this top to her. The FBI agent examined the complete outfit, to this rather unusual upper top she should wear deep-blue washed out Jeans that just went over her knees, in addition she should carry black boots with several buckles.

Quickly she slipped of the light nightdress that she had found in the cupboard and tried on the new things. Suprised she found out that they fitted like wax. Fast she went to the bordered white bath and considered herself in the body-size mirror.

The clothes looked good on her, even if her hair was a complete mess so far. When her face and hair was acceptable again, she was content with herself and decided to leave the room. Where she exactly walked to, she did not know, but maybe she could protect one or find some proofs for his criminal actions. Finally, this was a private yacht of the Uchiha-clan.

Uncertain she stepped in the hall which she had reached last night when she went for the bedroom.

Should she simply go in deck?

If so, how did she get there?

"Miss Sousei?"

Izumi turned around and looked in two big blue eyes.

The young man smiled under his golden hair. "Excuse me, I didn't mean to frighten you."

The redhead declined. "No problem. Well … may I ask whether you know where I can get a simple breakfast?

He nodded understandingly and asked her to come with him. "Mr. Uchiha has arranged that the breakfast is taken in the view space."

"He is already awake?"

"Indeed, after you weighed him to sleep so nicely and he got himself lumbago."

Izumi bit her lip. This sounded not good at all! What if she herself was the breakfast? But then one would haven't got her clothes, would they? It could not have been so bad at all!

The man next to her laughed. "I must say, it has amused me to hear that he has fallen asleep."

Surprised she wanted to know why looked up to the butler, well at least she thought that he was one.

"Well, usually he stays up the whole night when the ship left the harbor."

"Then I must have bored him badly," closed Izumi and once more the blonde laughed and assured her that this had not been the case definitely.

Shortly after he opened a big double door and they entered a big space. In the morning a bright blue sky was visible and once more Izumi went into raptures. The sea was still deep-blue, however, the tone had changed a little. Before she completely sank into thoughts, she concentrated her attention on the table that was covered festively.

"As I see, Naruto has proved his good eye once more."

The clear voice let her turn around and she saw directly in two dark eyes. Sasuke looked perfect, as usual, the Jeans trousers and the black shirt fitted well to his radiation and underlined his well built body. Izumi smiled and wished a good morning, then she enquired who this Naruto was.

"The joker who has led you here." Gallantly the Uchiha sat down on his place and Izumi followed him.

"Have you slept well?"

He briefly shrugged his shoulders and confessed: "Though my back announces itself every now and then, but otherwise I have enjoyed a quiet night. I hope, you too."

She nodded keenly and smeared herself a bread roll. "Wonderfully! Indeed, I wanted to ask where my evening dress is."

Surprised Sasuke paused and put down his coffee. "Why?"

"Oh well. The dress has swallowed my money of whole three months."

A smile crept over Sasuke's face and he promised to her to let it deliver to her.

Just as an embarrassing silence wanted to come up, Izumi saw the harbor.

She was back again! Internally her heart made a hop and relief flowed through her. It was almost done!

Sasuke saw her look and he went together with her from the ship as soon as they have arrived. A black Jaguar was already there for him and he offered to take the young woman home.

"How many cars do you have, actually?"

"Twelve," he explained short and it didn't escape Izumi that he was seemed to be a morning grouch.

However, something else made her pensive, he knew apparently exactly where she lived, because he went precisely in the right direction and turned in the proper streets. This fact made her tremble, apparently one had already started spying and checking on her. Automatically she knotted her hands into each other and avoided looking at him.

Only a few minutes and she was away from him!

Hold on!

A few more streets …

The carriage stopped.

"We are here," Sasuke said drily, the FBI agent unbuckled the seatbelt and wanted to get out just when she quietly sighed: "You are angry because I left you sleeping last night, aren't you?"

Sasuke laid his head crooked and looked at her in long in silence: "No".

Distrustfully the redhead lifted an eyebrow and turned to him. "Whatever. So that you know it, I have let you sleep calmly because I could not push myself to wake you up. You have made a quite tired impression on me, because, otherwise, you would not have started your the trip in the dreamland after such a short amount of time."

Sasuke grinned at her words, she concluded well and exactly this made her so interesting. "No… something else puts me out of tune."

"And this would be, Mr. Uchiha?" Now, however, she was curious.

"How would it be if you finally, exchange this stupid and polite _'you'_ for likeable and lovely _'you'_?"

Izumi solidified internally, this was everything? So she had worried that he could have smelt a rat?

How naive she was!

"If it means so much to you Mr. Uch -, I mean Sasuke, I will change it," she slowly began.

It was difficult for her to follow his demand, because this meant a piece of closeness. Sasuke gave a laugh and for the first time she had the feeling that it was a real laugh. No play of features, no mask, but just himself. It was a nice laughter and it made him to her likeable.

"This would be really conciliatory, but it is not enough to tune me milder," he spoke and Izumi swallowed. "And what should I do?"

"Do you really want to know?" His voice had a breath of travesty, however, just this made Izumi raise courage. If he wanted to form the little game according to his rules, she would come on it.

"Yes"

As a result he looked at her directly and she tried not to break off the eye contact what was obviously difficult for her. "Answer me a question."

Relief spread in Izumi if it was further nothing else she was supposed to do. As she wanted to draw a deep breath, the blood froze in her veins. What if he knew who she was? What if someone came and wanted to shoot off her head and her colleagues were exposed?

"No excuses, no diversion and no white lie."

Now Izumi was amused and laid her hand on her heart. "The pure truth, I swear!"

The Uchiha had to smile without fail and spoke: "You did not plan at all to let me get closer to you last night, did you?"

The knowledge that he had caught her red-handed made her blush. This was enough of an answer for him. He sighed and Izumi realized that she had to say something. "I-I know that I have not kept to the agreement, but you must understand that your offer was very tempting, only the price just … a little bit high."

High?

Sasuke hestitated, no woman was ordinarily coy if he required to sleep with him. But they begged almost for it and now, nevertheless, someone had the nerves to hold out him.

"I understand," was the first what he was able to stay, still he was ready to act. "Then let me lower the price a bit."

Surprised Izumi looked at him and was curious what his demand would be now. He pulled something from his trousers pocket what it could be identified as a mobile phone. "Your number and you can leave."

Izumi smiled and gave him what he required, then she opened the door and stepped outward, before she closed the door again, she turned around once more.

"But you cannot deny one thing." He lifted an eyebrow and waited for her. "The evening has been worthwhile for both of us, hasn't it?" She winked and he had to keep back a laughter.

In a good mood the door was slammed by Izumi and she rummaged in her pocket in order to get her key. Hardly she had entered the flat that she shared with her friend when the dragon was already in front of her. Izumi could clearly recognize the rims under her eyes, however, the joy at the fact that she had survived, didn't make her stop.

Happily Izumi welcomed the Asian and slipped into the kitchen. Easily she resigned herself to the grumbling. The immoral curses bounced off her. By the fact that she did not fall under influence Tenten became even more furious and banged, finally, her fist on the culinary table, so that the glasses jangled.

"Izumi Kasumi Sousei! Where. Were. You?" Her voice was thundering, however, Izumi wasn't impressed.

"Stop it! I met somebody."

"Due to your work?" Though Tenten was not calmed, however, she listened. "With the help of Ino?"

"Yes," her friend cleared scarcely and asked gruffly for the fact that she kept it for herself. Her mobile phone rang and immediately Izumi got it.

"_13: 15 o'clock."_

Then the caller was hung up. She had recognized the voice of her colleague immediately and swallowed hard. Now she would get to know, on account if everything had worked. Her hand easily trembled when she laid the mobile phone back on the table, her eyes were glazed.

Again fear overcame her. The game became serious, the watchfulness might give the discount no second, but it was over and the life of many people worthless.

Tenten observed her friend from the door and slowly understood that the yesterday's evening had considerably influenced the life of her residential comrade. Still she did not know in which direction it would become, however, one was to her. It dealt with her job and during the next months her life would change.

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Weak sunrays made their way through the dark office. An obviously bored Sasuke Uchiha stared outside. He enjoyed the view from his office in the 35th floor. Behind him waited the already finished work. His laptop had been turned off, he had already sent all e-mails and contracts.

The black-haired loosened his tie and turned around as someone knocked on his door. As he had expected it, his blond follower entered. Naruto grinned broadly and noted that his boss was bored for already some time.

"Maybe you should visit one of your women once more," he commented with an expressive grin and buckled in the big leather armchair that stood directly in front of the huge silver desk. The surface existed of glass and showed no scratch. "Or was the little one so good last night that you must take break?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sat down in front of his friend, he knew exactly that Naruto was informed about everything what had run off on the yacht.

"Leave the jokes and come to the point."

The Uzumaki sighed, now that he finally had found something he could gossip about and then his boss did not jump in it. In his hand he held an USB flash drive and laid it on the table, before he started with his real report.

"Izumi Kasumi Sousei, her name is already correct," he confirmed. "27 years old, has a graduation in stenography and a successful education as a secretary behind her. For three years she works for Meyer and provides for a full appointment calendar."

In Sasuke's eyes these were all insignificant facts, he wanted to know more private about this woman, hardly that he wanted to pronounce this thought loudly, Naruto followed his wish.

"She jogs four times a week, once a week she visits her friends and lives with a certain Tenten Yamasaki. Miss Sousei loves almost all food, above all Mc Donalds and Pizza Hut. Besides, she owns a big predilection for books of all kind."

The Uzumaki droned the information as if he hadn't done anything else the whole day, than to learn them by heart. "If you ask me, a woman where you won't have any trouble. Gaara has also checked through her. If you plan to meet her once again, go ahead."I

Sasuke knotted his fingers into each other and seemed to consider. Finally, he leant back. "What about our business?"

The sudden subject change irritated Naruto a little, he wanted to come already almost on it when he hesitated. "My, my, there is somebody interested. Sounds as if you are going hunting again. What does the prey promise then?"

The Uchiha grinned; what promised the prey?

An adventure, as he had not found it for a long time any more. The young woman brought class with herself. Only the fact that she had resisted him made her already interesting.

"Let's leave the subject, we come for the business. When does the next load come?"

The Uzumaki sighed and started to reel off once more what he had brought in experience. "The next week, six tonnes of heroin are coming. Clean material. I would say if everything runs after plan, your profit …", he counted briefly and thought, however even before he came to the result, Sasuke spoke hoarse: "850 million $."

"Exactly." agreed the blonde and was surprised that his boss in view of this high sum still remained so calm and showed no sign for the fact that he was glad. Sasuke got up and snapped his laptop shut. "Well, something else stands in a queue for the today?"

Naruto pulled a slip of paper from his trouser pockets and also rose. In contrast to his boss being in the suit, he could move in Jeans and sweater well and felt fine. From experience Naruto knew that the black-haired also preferred this look, however, since people had to take him seriously, he renounced this comfort.

"If I drive you now to flat number six, a big solidly grumpy masseur who loosens your tense muscles expects you there. Before that his woman will run to you a bath of the top class." Naruto spoke as if he recommended a product. "If you prefer, however, the villa in the lake, a pussy with red underwear on your bed lolls and waits for the fact, that you …"

He made an unequivocal gesture and Sasuke stepped out of his office, in the lift he leant against the back wall and grinned: "I believe the better choice would be for the unambiguously flat today."

Naruto grinned broadly and drew his own conclusions. His boss had finished unexpectedly fast his work, in addition Sasuke had already worked in advance and had, therefore, two days of free time.

"How does it come that you want to relax?"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and the lift glided. Together both men walked by the big ostentatious foyer. The big discs were from bullet-proof glass, because during the last months there had often enough been disagreeable incidents.

"You can go home Naruto, I don't need you for today anymore." The voice of the Uchiha was so uninterested that the appealed believed at first, one permits a joke.

However, when the black Jaguar was driven up and one detained Sasuke the driver's door a wide grin crept on Naruto's face.

Hinata would be glad if he appeared three hours earlier than planned. The black car sped away and he looked after him. Immediately he reached for his mobile phone and called his girlfriend. If he had already won time, he also wanted to use it.

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Contently Shino looked on the printed out documents, everything just ran as he had wished it. With a steaming cup in the hand he turned round and his look fell on his colleagues.

They all had spread in the room. Izumi stood in the window and saw outward on the street, while Ino sat at the overloaded table and didn't leave her eyes from their high visit. Both women looked tense, Kiba against seemed to be kind of cool and leant on a wall with crosses arm. Ibiki stood in front of the big Black Board and sighed deeply. "As it looks, you are diligent."

Izumi bit her lip, diligently?

This was fine understatement!

"However, you should not forget to sleep every now and then." The instructor nodded in Shino's direction. Busted, Shino drank his coffee and Ino smiled. "But let's get to another topic. As I heard, Uchiha has bitten into what concerns Sousei."

Briefly and essentially Kiba explained to him what had happened and, besides, did not save in important details. "In the end Izumi had to give him even her mobile phone number."

"What about the double identity?"

"Well," interfered Ino. "Everything is prepared. And as it looks, Uchiha's people have already investigated with what woman her boss has got involved, because her file has already been cracked. Meyer knows and will welcome her on Monday."

Everything ran like clockwork. In Ibiki's eyes everything was nearly perfect and he feared this. If a little bit ran so well, he always had the feeling to have overlooked something. He saw to his former pupil and noted that this still looked outside.

"Uchiha is dangerous," she spoke quietly and everybody turned to her. Izumi breathed deeply. "He disposes not only of influence and power, but is still able, to use his mind. A few times I had really the feeling, he would have smelt a rat."

"But the fact that you are here speaks for itself," explained Kiba stiffly. Meanwhile he had enough to hear over and over again how brilliant Uchiha was. "You will wait, until he calls you, then we see what happens."

Shino drew up a desk drawer and took something. "Since it will become difficult in the next time, we will have problems to communicate with each other. He held out her one small memory card. "Put it on your mobile phone, the same number with other function. With it we can locate you even if you are on another continent. They have taken a look through your pocket contents already once and I hardly think that they will do it once again."

Izumi accepted the card and exchanged it immediately. Then she sighed and looked at her clock. "Are we done now? I mean, we can't do anything else to wait for Uchiha's move."

Ino realized that her friend wanted to leave this meeting as fast as possible. The way Izumi spoke made her realize that she only wanted to go home.

"Yes, I would say, you all take a break for now." decided Ibiki and nodded to everybody. Izumi got her coat and said goodbye fast. In quick steps she stepped through the hall, it was empty. However, even before she could completely make a getaway, she heard somebody shouting her name.

"Izumi! Please wait!"

The redhead stopped and turned round.

Behind herself she could discover Ino and tried to smile, however, the blonde lifted her hand repulsing. "No wrong smile, please this is the last what I have earned!"

Izumi sighed repeatedly on this day and asked lightly disturbed: "What do you want?"

"To ask you, why you are in such a bad mood today!" Ino wasn't beating around the bush. "I understand that the evening had been strenuous, but this simply is now your job. As an agent one must be adaptable. So be glad that you, at least, can use your logical mind able and don't have to creep by some dirty."

Izumi could imagine where she soon would found her friend and still she would have nothing against it if she could switch places with Ino.

"You know what?" the redhead began unusual violently. "Right now I allow my logical mind to play theoretically, as you call it! Have you ever thought that I could make my job maybe a little bit too good?"

Ino looked at her confused, however, then she understood what was meant.

"At least, I get to him believe, I would have deep feelings for him and for a long amount of time."

The blonde stroked a strand of hair behind her ear, while her friend looked at her inexpressively.

"Are you afraid that you could fall in love with him?"

Izumi was quiet, whereupon Ino laughed, it sounded a little put on, however it didn't put up a lot of courage towards Izumi.

"Believe me Izumi, this will not happen. I mean, I know nobody who works his ass off like you in order to have justice and serve the state like you. I mean, nevertheless, you still fight for your dream, don't you?"

Izumi briefly closed her eyes.

Of course it alone was the reason, why she had gone to the FBI. Ino glided to her. "You see. So you don't need to be afraid of those thoughts."

Both women knew that feelings had been Izumi's biggest weakness. Only, therefore, she had lost the final exam in undercover actions.

"See you tomorrow!", spoke Izumi with quiet voice, then she turned round and walked the deserted way down.

It took a load off her mind, as Ino had tried to give her courage and trust. However, the cheering up words of her friend had not been able to take the fear from her. When she opened the door of the headquarters and a cold breath blew to her in the face, Izumi took a deep breath.

Then she stepped outside. She would believe in her dream and fight further for it and nobody would be able to detain her.

However in the same evening Izumi got a phone call.

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	6. A Friendly Gesture

**|$| A Friendly Gesture |$|**

Slightly nervous Izumi looked in the mirror; she carried a baseball tricot and a cap, both in black-yellow. "Hopefully everything will work properly," she quietly hummed.

Her friend gave out a flat laugh. Ino stepped to her and scrutinized her. "Highly unlikely, you are also in reality a confirmed fan of this funny sport."

Izumi regretted slowly to have told her what she did on the weekend. Because Izumi wasn't the type of person who was moving from one disco to the next one, but this kind of person who sat in front of the television and followed the plays. Baseball games.

Since then Ino and Tenten often tried to keep her away from spending a comfortable evening in front of the television.

"On the quickness nothing better has probably occurred to you for a date, hasn't it?"

Because Tenten was not there, Izumi and Ino could speak undisturbed about the job. The redhead rolled her eyes and walked in the sitting room where Ino already waited and treated herself to a cup of tea.

"Be quiet!" growled Izumi when she tried once more to put her hair fairly advantageously under the cap. "What should I have said? Oh I want to be alone with you, so that you can have sex with me all day and all night long?"

Izumi's voice sounded mocking and Ino frowned. "Oh well, not completely so direct, although you must already admit that his interest was about sex in the beginning."

The FBI agent sighed and dropped herself beside her friend. "Somehow calculating isn't it?"

"You can say this again!" The blonde examined the face of her friend and ascertained a discreet track of make-up.

"Before I forget it, Shino has given me something for you." She held out a nice kind of brooch. It was round and owned a black-yellow print. "With it we can listen in. Best of all you fix the thing on your bag."

Izumi acted what one required, then she looked at her clock. Hopefully nothing failed today. Ino, by the way explained that Kiba was undercover in the stadium to keep an eye on her. However, besides, she herself should not switch off her attention, but observe if something unusual was happening.

"At first it is important to find these three hangmen. If we know with whom we deal, we can intervene much more specific, let them be tailed and put out, finally, the source of the drugs."

Before somebody could lose another word, someone rang and the redhead got up. "Wish me luck and a good afternoon."

Izumi took her red jacket of the hook and threw a last look at her friend. Ino lifted her thumb and then reached for her mobile phone to give Kiba the signal.

"You're on time," she commented and saw the big black-haired man in front of her. Sasuke carried a white-blue tricot, as soon as they were confronted, an embarrassing silence entered.

"Stars," spoke Sasuke drily and Izumi lifted distrustfully her eyebrows.

"You could have told me that you prefer the Tornados."

The fact that they supported another team amused them both and Izumi let her gaze glide unobtrusively over Sasuke Uchiha. With the tricot he wore bright Jeans, although he had appeared in fan gear in front of her, she couldn't deny that he looked terribly attractive to her.

Grinning Sasuke brushed through his black hair. "You could have mentioned that you idolize the Stars, because how it looks, now we have a small problem."

Confused she looked at him and wanted to know what kind of problem.

"The box that I have booked allows only Tornado follower."

Box?

She should pursue a baseball game in a box?

"Can't we exchange the seats for normal cards?" She closed the front door behind herself and he detained to her the door of his black BMW. Izumi realized that she was again in another car, hardly that she had taken a seat, she already heard his confused voice beside herself.

"I should exchange the cards? How am I supposed to understand this?"

After both were strapped on, they drove off in the direction of the stadium. Izumi noted fast that the man beside her had never sat on a loyal fan stage and exactly _this_ she wanted to change.

Not that she had something against box places, but she wanted to spend her dearly loved baseball rather between screaming fans and like-minded people, than to bump into distinguished penguins. The FBI agent noted that they passed in the town already several celebrating fans.

"Can you park here somewhere nearby?"

Her question made Sasuke even more unsure than he already was, but he did what she asked for. However, when she asked for the cards, it took him off the balance.

"Okay … would you be so nice and would explain to me what your plan is?"

She rose from the carriage and gave him a mischievous smile. "I will provide that we sit in the tumult."

Silently he observed how she exchanged his box cards with some fans. Anyhow she gave him an unsure feeling with her fickle kind and spontaneity, besides, this should make no difference to him. While the young woman talked to other fans, Sasuke reached for his mobile phone, wanting to tell his three hangmen that they would find him somewhere else. The block would not be that large. 

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In the building of the FBI Shino ran to the computers, he could not believe what he saw there. Ino was about to drop her cup of tea, as her colleague passed her like crazy.

"Shino, what is wrong?"

However, Shino did not react. He had hid from her that Izumi's brooch had more functions, it told them where she was in the stadium, but it transmitted a little bit more important stuff to them. Their target called up and Shino tried to put out just the vicinity.

By a special program he could put out the vicinity of five miles of all calling people, with it the suspects can be put out.

Ino rolled her eyes when she saw as her colleague tried as hyperactively to type on three computers at the same time. In the background she heard, how Izumi was screaming together with Sasuke Uchiha in the block. The game would begin any minute and Ino hadn't really any kind of desire to follow this exceedingly desolate sport. She hated baseball and was still surprised that the Uchiha had entered on Izumi's proposal. She herself would have differently handled the whole.

With more provocation and small erotic promises.

However, maybe this was the wrong way to get Uchiha. Internally she hoped only that Kiba would keep an eye on her friend.

"Damn it."

Shino tore her from her thoughts and the blonde saw on the pile that he printed out. "Shino what the hell is that?"

However, the man did not answer her question, but spread out the sheets on the ground. On every sheet was a big photo plus personal details. He knelt on the ground: "We get them."

Now Ino had finally enough of his little guessing games, furiously she sat down beside him and pushed her elbow in Shino's ribs. "Would you mind telling what the hell you are doing here? It's all Greek to me."

Wary Shino let his eyes flower over the sheets and explained the additional use that Izumi had just fulfilled.

All together exactly 63 people have got a phone call in the vicinity of 5 miles and among them at least had to be **one** of three hangmen.

"Now we have to check them all."

In bewilderment Ino stared at the sheets, then a smile adorned her lips. "Shino, it is difficult for me to say that now, but you are a genius!"

"I know", was his scanty comment, then he looked at her briefly and asked her to keep Kiba informed with the events.

The blonde noticed immediately that he wanted to check the 63 people himself and bent to his will. Probably it better, at least, he had experience in this area. Still while she passed the new information to Kiba, she looked over to her colleague.

Why couldn't she be as crafty as eh?

Always have everything in the overview, always staying calm?

She sighed quietly and decided to herself to be as useful as possible.

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"_Jackson in the base, all worlds looks at him. Will he hit? The seconds are running."_

The stadium stopped its breath, thus also the two people in the block, right now it was a draw. The throw was about to decide everything. "

"The Tornados will writhe on the ground.", Izumi crunched her teeth, and however, Sasuke saw the whole different.

"You wish! We will win, we still have Jackson."

The redhead gave him a gentle dig in the ribs, as a result he held on her hands.

"_Aberton throws, the man is a number for himself! We are talking about the championship. The Stars or the Tornados? We are curious."  
><em>

Silently Sasuke and Izumi stared at the field, the throw came, considered Jackson it and….

"_HOMERUN!"_

The voice of the presenter overturned almost, the Uchiha tore with thousand other fans the arms in the air, while Izumi pulled her cape in her face.

Damn it!

The confirmed Tornado municipality tuned We-are-the-champions in their song what moved Izumi in addition, intends to cross her arms. Sasuke bent down to her and roared against the noise. "You are a bad loser!"

"No, not at all!", she expressed outrage, however, she had to admit that he was right, she hated to lose. "Can we leave? Please, the screaming is unacceptable."

Amused Sasuke agreed and reached for her hand.

Izumi let her pull with him, anyhow the play had given pleasure to her in spite of the defeat. She felt the light pressure on her hand and looked on his back of the head. Purposefully he struggled mercilessly up to the exit and to her it became conscious that exactly these both qualities put out his character.

Quite all the same how much charm he owned and how gallant he was, something in him always reminded of his dark side. After just 20 minutes they had were already on the street, around them one could put out a mixture from fans. Still they did not crowd mutually from the streets, but one could go calmly side by side here.

Izumi swallowed hard, still he held her hand and made also no institution to let go of her. Not that it was disagreeable to her, she enjoyed rather being in his nearness. The fear of him was there still, however, the longer she spent time with him, the better she got this fear under control. It was as if a veil lay down between her feelings and them.

"What about a small snack?"

Sasuke turned round to her and her face was beaming, even before he could say something, she turned right and headed for a small snack store. Of course they landed directly in the heart of the Stars fans.

The owner had forced his quite personal mark of the baseball upon his snack and the Uchiha had to bite his lip, in order not to break out in laughter. Almost everything was held in black-yellow. Some fans had already spread in the store, they appreciated him briefly a look and then turned again to her quick-tempered play analysis. Izumi took directly in the bar burst and followed her.

"A strawberry milkshake, a hotdog and double chips," she looked at the Uchiha. "What about you?"

"Hamburger and a coke." She roared the order to the bar man, because suddenly it had become very loud in here.

It did not last long and their order came.

"Where do you have, actually, got the cards?", Izumi wanted to know and he grinned broadly.

"Contacts."

She rolled her eyes, because she herself often had to stand for hours in queue to get a card in general. With relish both bit in their food.

"For nearly all food I could die!" commented the redhead and was surprised when her neighbor nodded in the affirmative.

"Nothing is better than Mc Donalds or Burger King. Gets quite boring without some junk food."He noted her dumbfounded look: "In the long run delicatessen can make mad. Every day only the best of the best, all the time counting calories. I prefer a calorie bomb."

She had to laugh and they both moved up closer, because it became badly narrow at the bar.

The good mood remained and the conversation became more confidential. From food predilections they forged ahead to hobbies, friends and stress situations in the everyday life. It was like a normal date, only with defensive differences.

"And what did you do then?", A grinning Sasuke asked her and Izumi laughed. She could have imagined that her absolute horror day amused him.

She shrugged her shoulders and took a gulp of her milk shake, while Sasuke bit once more in his Burger. "What probably, after the right heel of my shoe had got stuck in the drain and had broken off, I have carried the other directly in the garbage."

The Uchiha suffocated almost and had a tough time to keep himself together in order not to break out in laughter. The irony that resonated in her voice was just delightful. "While you laugh, I help you to a good appearance."

Grinning she reached to her napkin and Sasuke paused immediately. Somewhat of the sauce had got lost she wanted to repair this little accident. They were approaching each other dangerously. Convulsively Izumi tried to avoid, to see to him directly in the eyes, because the deep dark-black draw her magically in.

Over and over again his eyes had fascinated her.

Sasuke held on the hand with the napkin, his breath touched her and he noted the creeps that were crawling over her skin. The noise around them disappeared and all of a sudden it was quiet.

There were only the two of them.

Slowly, almost carefully his lips approached hers. The first what Izumi felt was coldness. His lips were not as warm as she had believed, but cold. Affectionately he deepened the kiss as he went with his free hand through her shoulder-long hair. It felt incredibly softy between his fingers and Sasuke would have best ascertained what the silky splendor smelt of.

However, at the moment he was too occupied with kissing her. She tasted of strawberry, however, this did not disturb him, and rather it spurred him on. Sasuke couldn't know that Izumi liked it more than she was supposed to. She was never been kissed this affectionate and passionately at the same time.

Everything in her relaxed.

Izumi hoped that the time would stop, however, this didn't happen of course, because seconds later Sasuke freed himself carefully of her. She bit timidly her lips and could not avoid sinking once more into his beautiful dark-blue orbs. For a while nobody said a word, the noise of the diner penetrated to them and the unique moment disappeared.

"Your milkshake tastes well ", commented Sasuke grinning and Izumi amplified. „If he tastes so good, maybe you want to get some more."

Her statement arranged him to kiss her once more, this time not as hesitantly as in the beginning. The moment began once more.

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The sky over San Francisco was cloudless and, nevertheless, one could put out in this evening no stars. A bearded man looked out of the window of the respectable restaurant Ocean drive. His look was valid for the gigantic high street under himself.

Asuma Sarutobi wore a grey suit, his left hand went to his tie let it loosen a little. In the other hand he held a cigarette.

The businessman looked relaxed, however, in his core there raved a fight. He hated to make deals with the Uchiha clan; indeed, he could also not renounce this source. If the negotiations were not always so terribly cold and were stiff, he could get used to it.

"Sorry that you had to wait."

Asuma turned round and discovered a brown-haired man, also he carried a suit, however, his gaze showed that he was not in a joking mood. "Mr. Uchiha sends his apologies. I hope, you have nothing against to talk with me about certain facts."

Now with any other business partner he would have got up and would have left, however, in this case Asuma would have to be contented with Mr. Shikamaru Nara. "Of course not. Nevertheless, sit down, Mr. Nara." Asuma puts a good face on the matter and accepted the coming contract.

"Allow me to make this short," began Shikamaru and ordered an espresso. "Everything important stands here, when the next load comes and where it has to go. You can find the payment below."

Asuma read the whole contracts calmly. Finally, one could never know, when somebody wanted to cheat. The wage felt well, the places simple, however, …

"I believe here is a misprint."

The business man pointed at the information of the product, Shikamaru grinned: "No, everything is correct."

Asuma's face fell down.

The order was _**six**_ tones of heroin?

Such a high sum of drugs had never reached the United States without being discovered. What Uchiha planned here, was insanity.

"May I ask how much time I have to get the stuff in the USA?"

Shikamaru sipped at his espresso. "Six weeks, you have one week time for every ton, so you should consider well how you want to do to make your job."

Asuma leant back, he breathed out the dense smoke and looked at his opponent estimating. It was insanity and, nevertheless, it was possible. Everything was possible if one seized it properly.

"Should everything really run after plan, Mr. Uchiha will be appreciative and raise the profit for your part a little."

Asuma thought, in his head he went through all points which spoke for the fact that he accepted this job and which spoke against it.

With the ballpoint pen he knocked impatiently on the table, finally, he put his name under the contract. A contented smile dribbled round Shikamaru's lips. Asuma was one of the most important suppliers of the Uchiha's, on no other had such a big reliance as he did.

"Tell Mr. Uchiha that I'd prefer it to do contracts with him personally next time.", noted the business man chilly and Shikamaru rose.

"I will tell him, indeed, I can promise nothing. Have a nice evening."

With these words he left the table and Asuma looked at the hangman. Of course he did not know that he had spoken with the living weapon in the background. He was too relieved having saved his face and having once more a contract signed, sealed, delivered. Once more Asuma deals with the thoughts, which is why Uchiha's plans always rose.

For a long time he had the absolute power of the underworld, nobody dared to position himself in his way, too large was his power, to dreaded was his brutality. And still … anyhow he wished that Uchiha should soon learn once what it was like to sweat, because something wasn't running like Uchiha wanted to.

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Thick raindrops fell down in Los Angeles to the ground; the people on the street ran directly in the nearby bars or tried to take shelter somewhere. Off the whole bustle and life, in one dilapidated quarter walked a big giant man dresses in a long dark coat through the desolate byroad. His steps were silent and self-confident.

Ibiki looked down on the street number, the rain beat continually on him. He hated to go to anonymous meetings, however, such important orders like this he did rather himself, because thus he could estimate the consequences best of all, if there were any. Not that he had any trust in his fosterlings, rather a lot he wanted to save them of certain experiences.

Ibiki looked at his clock, he would be punctual, as usual. Automatically he turned right. The mud already crept up his trousers; however, this did not disturb him. Briefly he turned round, besides, his hand went unobtrusively to the weapon that was hidden under his coat. A disagreeable feeling came over him, almost in such a way as if somebody observed him.

The FBI agent swallowed hard and tried to be as calm and collected as possible. From weapon, up to the bulletproof waistcoat he carried everything on himself what he could use if necessary to escape with his life.

Ibiki walked up the stairs of a dilapidated high rise. Rats crossed his way. Their squeaking hunted shivers up and down his back. How much he hated this quarter, still it was the only possibility to get to certain information without being disturbed, besides.

He owed Tsunade this informant; he did not want to know at all how she could find him. The big problem with meeting the other side was often that most informants already did not come again after the second meeting, because they either were already dead and therefore had failed or, however, had been of all only hot air what they had given of themselves. However, this hulk he already met for the fifth time.

Their conversation never lasted mostly longer than ten minutes, because the risk that he flew up was too high for him.

Easily he stamped in a rusty door and walked in the inside of the laid waste and desolate flat. Dust rose to him in the nose and he made a sick grimace. Almost he would have tripped over empty bottles, however, he could just still hold on the wall.

Quietly he cursed, then he entered the space which should have been earlier sometimes a kitchen and leant against the wall. Now one meant to wait. At the moment of the silence sat down Ibiki in the squat and looked on his mobile phone. Another two minutes. Internally it bubbled in him.

What if one killed him immediately through an ambush?

He shook his head, almost in such a way as if he wanted to sweep with it all dark thoughts aside what he managed, however, rather badly as right.

Steps.

Immediately Ibiki hardened and listened in. After that what he heard only somebody came. However, though a man, because the steps were still difficult quietly. He recognized the intruder. Exactly with the same man he had spoken more than seven weeks ago. He leant in the hall against a wall and provided for the fact that Ibiki winced because of a creek. The voice of the informant was rough and still she sounded unconcerned.

Almost in such a way as if he was a normal passer-by and would follow an everyday job. However, Ibiki knew that if one worked for Uchiha to circles, never made an everyday job. The rest and balance with which this informant had come to him confirmed to him only that he dealt with a very dangerous person. Just the kind which her feelings could hide behind a mask was the most dangerous.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"No", hummed Ibiki. "Keep long things short, is there something worth mentioning?"

The informant seemed to think what did sweat on the forehead to him. "Uchiha has a new woman on his side, however, to her is to be given to no attention, quite a normal poor leveret what does not know what she has got involved in."

A weak smile dribbled round Ibiki's trains, however, the stranger continued: "One plans to kill the family de Cossions. Man of the house refused to the instructions to hold of the contract. His woman and he are beyond help, but maybe have you more luck with his two children."

Ibiki started to send immediately that news to his colleagues. "What agreement did it concern?"

"About corrupt business, but that's it sorry, my life depends on that.", the voice laughed drily. "Watch both girls to get them healthy out of that and aggravate the safety measures of the expresses a little, could be that your people thereby get a few crooks."

Something rustled and Ibiki noted that the stranger had freed himself of the wall.

"Was that everything?", it was for him like a blow in the face.

A big coup?

"For this month you must be content to have maybe saved the life to two small girls and to have intervened some small hand storage in the business."

Ibiki clenched his hands to fists, the voice of the stranger was disdainful and sarcastic.

Steps resounded in the empty building and he knew that his informant had gone.

The man sighed deeply.

What had he expected?

That he could arrest Uchiha today or kill him?

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Softly a hand glided through silky hair, however, the man did not let go of the young woman that was in his arms and leant against the front door. Their lips burnt; still they did not interrupt the kiss. Nevertheless, Izumi interrupted the kiss after fairly long time, breathless she freed herself of him and smiled. Quite courtly he had brought her home after food.

"I have to go," she whispered and he grinned.

"And you do not plan to take me with you?" It was more a statement than a question.

Izumi briefly breathed a kiss on his lips, before she looked him in the eyes: "Certainly. Listen Sasuke, it is not in such a way that I do not like you, but I cannot agree on it with my conscience."

"Agree on your conscience?" The Uchiha frowned, whereupon she looked for her front door key.

"Oh well, we know each other for only two days and do you not believe that it went a little bit fast?"

The fact that she risked everything in reality, not to let him come too close to her, he shouldn't know. At least, she should remain interesting for him, so that she could get to know him better and owned sometime a chance of valuable information. The fear which she had felt when she was with him together had come under control.

Better said, she had it so under control that she hardly felt it.

The position of the Uchiha tensed up a little and it became clear to Izumi that he did his best to remain cool. Probably she was the first woman to keep him on a short lead. "Come on Sasuke, don't sulk."

"I'm not sulking." he tried to talk his way out and reached for her hand. Affectionately his fingers surrounded hers. "Would you mind to accompany me the next week on an auction in Miami?"

Izumi swallowed and explained that she didn't know at all what she should wear and he promised to her to spoil her. "You're pampering me!", she commented indignantly what drew a smile out of him.

"Izumi, Izumi, a woman simply is there to be pampered by a man."

Without fail her heart knocked faster, why did he knew exactly how to use the proper words at the right moment words that she wanted to hear?

"Before you butter me up even more, I will dismiss you now." She took his hand shook it and unlocked the front door, fast she stepped in the hall and spoke delightfully: "See you again!"

Then she closed the door and Sasuke stood unbelievingly in front of the white material. In his whole life he had never been left directly in front of the door. It lasted a little, until he had collected himself and turned round again to his car. At least, she hadn't rejected the offer to accompany him.

Only when the FBI agent heard the noise of a driving car, she drew in a deep breath and went up the stairs to her flat. However, when she unlocked the door, she knew that she would have better stayed away the night.

Tenten sat there as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth and grinned furtively when Izumi took off her shoes. However, Izumi knew this little game, this time she wouldn't start to excuse herself because she had not brought the guy with her. Tenten had stood to 99 percent with certainty in the window and had analyzed every smallest movement of her company.

"What's his name?" was her first question, then followed the next: "How old is he? What is his job? Where did you meet him?" Eager to learn she hurried behind Izumi and watched her.

The redhead sighed: "Sasuke Uchiha, 29 years old, businessman, on an event."

"When will you see him again?"

"Next week if he kidnaps me once more."

Now Tenten was caught hopelessly in a shriek. "How romantic!" Izumi rolled her eyes. Okay, actually, she was right, it was romantic. With the only difference that she wasn't doing everything for pure fun. Izumi walked in the bath room and Tenten still dared to ask: "Is he a good kisser?"

The Sousei turned her back to her when she answered: "Yes as you have seen. And now excuses me, but I would like to take a bath."

"Alright!" Tenten slammed the door happily and Izumi heard how she groped about in the direction of sitting room. Tiredly the redhead let hot water flow into the tub and stretched the white T-shirt over her head, before she looked in her reflexion.

The kiss was better than expected.

For the first time in her life something had felt completely right. Izumi knew that the word didn't define it properly, however, differently she could not describe it. His lips on her were like if his lips fit hers perfectly, even if it sounded selfish. The time had stopped for her when they had been in the diner.

There had been only the two of them, nobody had been able to disturb them. Automatically her fingertips touched her lips and she swallowed hard. Only hard she succeeded in taking her look of her reflexion and undressed further. Finally, she rose in the warm water and closed her eyes.

It was only a job. Nothing else.

Over and over again this sentence was running through her head. As soon as she had all proofs against him, he disappeared into jail. Izumi pulled her legs to her body and surrounded them with her arms. With every step that she did she got closer to her big dream piece by piece. And the closer she came to him, the more happily she should see her dream was becoming reality.

However, this feeling of happiness still didn't come. She stroke on strain of hair out of her face and let gaze glide through the jade-green bathroom. Everything what was here reminded her of the time when she had begun her apprenticeship. A hard time and without Ino and Tenten she maybe wouldn't have made it through. In front of her eyes the day appeared, when Ibiki had told her that she owned no abilities for a FBI agent. His hard words left her core and after he still had added, while he entrusted her that she would end at best as a small secretary in any provincial store, something had torn in her.

One day had never been so darkly for them. Only when Tenten and Ino had her in their power, she had been able again to perceive something. Izumi reached for her shampoo. She had never failed on whole line and the words of her instructor had given her the feeling to be nothing. She had believed him. As long as Ino had flung something to her, something that made her fight on until today.

Her dream.

So easy to reach and however, so hard.

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It was already dark, as Ino left the headquarters of the FBI. Her mauve coat was pulled more narrowly around herself as she walked fast through the meagerly visited street. Exactly 41 people still counted to her suspects.

The blonde thought that they had performed astonishingly good work. She looked at her silver watch that resembled more a piece of jewelry and found out that she had exactly half an hour, before she met an old friend. Choji had become a chef. Since High School they had not seen each other anymore. Only by regular telephone calls the contact with each other had been preserved.

Unerringly she entered a bar called '_Enchanted'_. As she took off her coat in view came a red blouse and a short bright Jeans skirt. Ino knew that already some men looked after her.

Elegantly she sat down at the bar on a stool and crossed her legs. Only with pleasure she remembered that time when her friend had fallen off the stool when she tried to cross her legs too.

"One Tequila Sunrise please."

Bored she looked around and her look got stuck in her neighbor. His red hair had attracted her attention immediately. Chaotically it stood off in all directions, she scrutinized his clothes, and he seemed to her extremely cultivated and to sure about his style. The bright jade eyes searched the menu, while he was talking to someone on his phone. His voice hunted a shiver down her back.

"No, now you listen to me. I already have six extra hours, then your darling will have to wait just a little bit more if he doesn't want to go home directly," with these words he hung up and noted the young woman beside him.

A smile dribbled round Ino's features and he answered it. From this moment she knew that she would shift the meeting with Choji once more. Since this man beside her was absolutely more interesting than an old friend.

Already half an hour later they pounced hungrily over each. It was not the first time that she got involved in a One-Night-Stand, indeed, this was the quite the most passionate one. His hands went under her skirt and he raised her powerfully, while she tugged on his T-shirt. Hardly that she sat on the culinary table of the foreign flat.

His lips looked once more for hers and when he found what he searched, he also insisted on demonstrating his whole skill. Ino's head was like deserted, for the first time since this murderer's job had accepted, she could relax again. With her fingertips she went over his muscles and grinned challenging.

The kiss had made them breathless, lasciviously she licked herself over the lips, while he tugged in her blouse and opened it with skilful hands.

"What's your name?"

"Gaara."

The redhead caressed her neck and she threw her head back, then he heard a quiet 'Ino'. A grin crept over his face and he decided to move the events to the bedroom. Capably his hands went once more under her skirt and she tied her long legs around his hip. "Don't you think that a bed is lot more comfortable?"

Ino did not answer, but united her lips with his again. Too long she had felt cold without his.

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Quiet steps resounded in the cemetery, a long shade passed the graves of Los Angeles. Only far away street lanterns donated light. The steps of the man became slower, finally, he stopped. Shino threw a last look over his shoulder, the collars of his jacket was surged up.

When he laid a bunch of lilies on the grave in front of himself, he noted the silvery fog on the ground and closed his eyes briefly. Then his fingers ran over the cold stone and he swallowed hard.

_Kurosaki Kin_

_Died on April 13__th_

"Kin …", he whispered quietly and suppressed the impulse to hit the gravestone. Now she was dead for several months and a hole was still in his chest. Whose guilt was this?

Uchiha's!

Only with reluctantly Shino thought back to the day when he wanted to meet his fiancée, because she wanted to tell something him what he would be glad indeed about. He remembered as if it had only been yesterday.

The day had been rainy and damn coldly. Both had wanted to meet in a cafe. His mood was good, at that time in the lunch break he rushed straight to her, had suffered on this day of course. Kin wanted to go to the bank fast and exactly this had been her death sentence.

Shino went in the squat and stared at the gravestone. The bank had been attacked, a wild gunfight had begun and one bullet had hit his fiancée. Agonizing she had bled to death.

His everything, his darling … .

And only because Uchiha wanted to take revenge on one of his former business partners, because he had not kept to the agreement. This bastard had not been afraid to drag innocent civilians within. More than 23 people had died on this day.

His fists were digging into the earth. The idiot would pay for it, all the same how high. Shino wanted only one, to this tyrant shot his head off, only then he would find rest. Furiously he bit his lips and he remembered it what Kin had wanted to tell him to this day.

If she had not gone to the bank, now he would be the happiest man America. He would have had already an own small family, because Kin had been pregnant. And Uchiha had destroyed everything.

"Forgive me …", whispered Shino quietly. "The fact that I have become so selfish and unfeeling.", he knew that his colleagues took amiss him of the hard bowl, however, the FBI agent could and did not want to change any more. "You have torn away a piece of me … it has died with you …"

Shino buried his face in his hands. He should be ashamed of letting go in such a way, however always when he came here, he was not able to act differently. This was the only place where he left to his grief run free and nobody saw him.

Shino knew that it was human to suffer; however, humanity had nothing to search in his job, because this put out his life. His life aim was to bring Uchiha in front of the court and when had achieved this Shino's life was over.

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A pleasant fire beat in the chimney and crackled. Calmly Sasuke Uchiha leant back and stretched on his long white couch. In the hands he held a wineglass and looked on the big mush yew before himself.

The baseball play was just repeated and he enjoyed the triumph of the Tornados and the defeat of the Stars. His company had deflected him today too much, as that he had been able to be properly glad about their victory. The phone disturbed his comfortable evening and, nevertheless, he convinced himself to pick up the phone.

"Yeah?"

Already with the second word he had recognized with whom he dealt, although the caller had announced himself not yet by name. Immediately his features changed, a flight of a contented smile darted over his lips and he thought back without fail to his last kiss. With pleasure he would have still continued and would have investigated quite different regions of her body.

However, her certain kind had him let know that he had agreed for today enough. Piece by piece she gave to him what he wanted and this did not correspond at all how everything was planned but still she didn't leave his mind alone anymore. It was as if she controlled his thoughts.

"What I think of cinema?" He grinned. "Depends on the movie… Underworld … never heard of that."

The Uchiha listened in to the excited voice of Izumi and accepted his defeat finally. "Alright … we can go to the cinema, but I cannot promise that I stay awake."

Izumi expressed outrage at the other end of the phone and wished him a wonderful night. She hung up and Sasuke looked at his phone.

He added lonesome night in thoughts, but still happy ones. Before he got involved in the adventure cinema, he wanted to find out first of all what this film was generally about. Not that he sat there like the last idiot in the move hall and understood nothing. The black-haired rose and looked outside.

A sea of lights presented was presented to him, however, he turned away again. He had seen something that was by far more impressive, for him this view was nothing new. Only a young woman had made to him consciously that his life differed really terrifically from others.

With this knowledge he quietly sighed.

Also she differed from the women whom he had met till present, only she did not know it yet.

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	7. Helpful Hints

**| $ | Helpful Hints | $ |**

A quiet whimpering was to be heard all over the cemetery. Dense fog hung over the graves, while light drizzle dripped onto the ground. A small lantern at the beginning of the cemetery donated light, so that long shades darted over the graves. The air smelled after wet earth and it was hard to breathe.

Carelessly a man was sitting on a gravestone wearing a long black coat. His black wet hair fell in his face and he accepted the cigarette that was passed to him from the left. With relish Sasuke Uchiha blew out the dense smoke and looked forward. A smirk appeared on his lips.

Naruto Uzumaki, his driver and at the same time respected friend on the left buried his hands in his black jacket. The look of the blonde was directed straight ahead. It was cold and one could see their one breath easily.

About five steps in front of him were Sabakuno Gaara and Nara Shikamaru. Bored Shikamaru was crouching on the ground and sipped on his black coffee; his black tracksuit top had got dirty since he had to drag the victim here. Crustily he looked up to his red-haired colleague. This guy had gone by motorcycle to the place of work and was holding a gun on the back of the victim's head for already some minutes.

The wet leather jacket moved with Gaara's shoulders, however, it seemed to make no difference to him. Briefly his head twitched. However, his eyes were still directed watchfully upon the victim.

"I would have thought you were more intelligent," hummed Shikamaru as he observed the man in front of him carefully. It was obvious that the man in front of him had reached his limit.

Now for over one hour he already was already digging up a grave, the wet earth beside him piled up, the heap became bigger and bigger and seemed to come to no end.

"You know, Sarutobi," noted Sasuke when his supplier snapped desperately for air. "You should have told us that your uncle is the president of Washington's FBI quarter. This would have saved me many incommodities."

Asuma turned round, his face was mud-smeared, sweat was running down his forehead, the spavin in his hand trembled. Up to the hip he already stood in the grave of an unknown person.

"I-I-I thought, this isn't that important …"

His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. Only too clearly one was able to hear his fear in his trembling voice. Sasuke sighed hard and shook indignant the head.

"Asuma, Asuma, I always thought, you and I would be good business partners. But as it looks, you had different opinion," Sasuke rose and smoked with relish his cigarette. His look was condescending, the eyes dark and unemotional.

Asuma gasped and hardly ventured to move, his heart was beating up to his neck. The steps of the Uchiha were vague and in the silence alarmingly loudly. "W-w-what are you talking about?"

Sasuke reached in his coat pocket and pulled out a gun, he scrutinized for a short moment the weapon in his hand affectionately, then his expression hardened and he explained: "Maybe the name de Cossions rings something?"

Confused Asuma looked at his former business partner, however, Sasuke couldn't be disconcerted.

From a safe source he knew that both daughters from de Cossions had disappeared, somebody from his circles had talked. The Uchiha had done everything in order to find the girls, so that nobody remained spared of the family, however, in this case exceptionally the FBI worked cleanly and the girls were untraceable.

Even before Asuma could answer something, Sasuke lifted his arm and fired. Nothing but a bang resounded over the cemetery. The body of the man fell down in the ditch that he had still dug up few minutes ago. Mud splashed him and rain beat on his lifeless face. Sasuke turned away from the corpse, the weapon disappeared again in his coat pocket and he took his cigarette from the corner of mouth.

"Bastard."

Naruto grinned broadly and already reached for a shovel, just as Shikamaru groaned: "He was able to dug his own grave, could he not take the mud again and close the grave when he dies?"

Gaara had to keep back a laughter and raised a cardboard with flowers. "Am I allowed to ask you something, Uchiha?"

Sasuke gave no answer what meant something like go ahead, ask now or you are dead.

"Your predilection to execute betrayer on the cemetery recently, does not have anything to do that you have seen Underworld – the movie in the cinema a few days ago?"

Gaara knew this vampire film only too well, because his brother had eaten a fool in the main actress.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and confessed: "It is a clean thing to get rid of some proofs. Sometimes one must just own a little imagination to do justice to his job."

Naruto carried a bit of earth in the ditch and laughed hoarsely.

Hell yes and sometimes it was uncanny how his boss found inspiration.

"Should we keep on tailing Sousei?" asked the blonde as uninterested as possible and Sasuke turned to Gaara and Shikamaru, because both performed the main work in this point.

The man for the upper society wheezed. "Actually, it doesn't make any sense. All the same where we follow the woman, she does the normal things."

"Shopping, cooking with friends, regular jogging in the park, nothing unusual", reeled off Gaara, internally he was fed up to follow his target all the time.

Sasuke moved once more his cigarette and nodded. "Alright, for my part, she glides of your list, would have also surprised me if there was something wrong with her."

Naruto kept a straight face, because for now two months he observed a strange change with his boss. The Uchiha looked oddly content, since he was together with this Izumi. His balance was also good for him in the job, he did not act any more dogged and icily, but chilly and well-thought.

Every now and then he had to tail them both during a date and he was surprised over and over again how happy lovers could be with an easy walk. Since this baseball play where something had happened between them the relation of the both had changed all of a sudden. Naruto held for better to think not further about it and not to interfere with the private life of his boss when he did not tolerate it.

"I would like that you prefer another employment than my nearness on Saturday."

Surprised the three hangmen looked at their boss, they never left him even one day unguarded during the last three years. Confused Naruto stammered: "What? We should take something like one day of holiday?"

It should sound like a joke, however, in view of the fact it sounded rather shocked than jocularly. Sasuke nodded easily and crooked his head; a cold smile adorned his lips. He didn't have to give his hangmen an explanation, so he was quiet about this subject and turned.

"Do your job, inform Hatake that a big deal waits for him, now that Asuma is dead and go home already."

Naruto, Shikamaru and Gaara exchanged looks; they all already knew when they looked at each other what the respective other thought.

The vague steps of their boss resounded on the cemetery again and with mixed feelings they looked after him as he disappeared through the fog more and more.

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Fast Izumi hurried to the door. Everywhere in the flat it smelt after food. Once more the doorbell rang; it was hard for her to keep a smile back.

Should she simply keep him waiting for a few minutes?

However, she knew, she should venture this, and then there would be immense annoyance afterwards. Quickly she threw once again a look in the mirror and checked if her hair was okay, before she opened, finally, the door and welcomed her visit beaming.

"On time as usual!"

She wanted to let Sasuke in the small flat, not free of charge she had bribed Tenten with an invitation for the expensive restaurant _Yellow River_, so that she had the flat for herself today.

Sasuke breathed a kiss on her lips: "Get your coat, today I have something special planned with you."

He already reached for her jacket, as Izumi started laughing: "Today I will go nowhere with you! At least, you have agreed and have proceeded voluntarily in my hands."

Sasuke smelt food that should expect him and pulled regretfully a look. "It hurts me in my soul, but your food will have to wait."

Outraged she wanted to press her hands in her hip; however, he was quicker and threw her over his shoulder. Before Izumi knew what he exactly planned with her, he walked in the kitchen, issued the stove and the hearthstones to decrease then again to the door and ran down the stairs.

"Sasuke, you cannot kidnap me so easily!"

As they arrived outside, it rained in streams, however, he ignored this completely. Just like her desperate attempts to escape from him. "Izumi please, don't call it kidnapping, call it taking-you-with-me rather."

"By force!" she exclaimed, now ordinarily she would break out in panic, however, meanwhile she knew that it was Sasuke's way to surprise her. He loved to throw her off. His action pointed in no manner to the fact that he had discovered her identity, as far as she knew him meanwhile. It was good to know, not to have to be afraid any more constantly when he threw her off.

Besides she was for uncertain reason she really liked being with him. Izumi couldn't describe the feeling that she had when she was with him, however, in any manner it was pleasant.

Hardly had he transported her in the sedan when the engine already jumped and she could put out his blond driver.

"Naruto!" she was thundering energetically, and the driver winced when he drove off. "Could you tell your boss that the fresh food what becomes mushy now in my kitchen had cost half of my monthly salary?"

Sasuke had dropped himself beside her and grinned "Let me surprise you, beautiful."

"Don't call me beautiful!"

Just as if somebody had pushed a button her cheeks became red and she wanted to decline. Easily confused Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows and she explained embarrassingly touched: "Beauty does not fit to me, I know that there are enough more beautiful women than me, so please don't call me this," while she explained this, a thick dumpling had spread in her neck.

A man had never called her 'beautiful', pretty maybe, but the definition 'beautiful' had a meaning much deeper for her.

A meaning she associated with _love_.

Strictly Izumi put her look on the ground of the car and didn't dare to look to the right, her fingers lay connected on her lap. Internally she fought with herself whether she should explain the meaning which had this word for her to him; however, still while she had the internal fight, she felt as he laid his arm around her shoulder and moved closer to her.

His cold fingers enclosed her chin and made her look in his dark-blue orbs directly. Surprisingly his features looked relaxed, nearly affectionately.

"And if I keep on calling you like this?" His voice was serious and Izumi reached for the hand that held on her chin, so that she could free herself of his piercing look. "You know, Izumi, these nice women you are talking about, do **not** interest me. You are what may be called beautiful in my eyes."

His words looked consciously elective and once more redness covered her cheeks.

Why he brought her over and over again from the ebullition?

Where from did he know what he had to say to make her feel unsafe?

Izumi swallowed and noted the light smile that lay on his lips. They approached her and few seconds later he already kissed her. Only in this gesture it became clear to her over and over again that he seemed to like her really. Izumi didn't know whether he described his feelings for her so, maybe it also was more than liking what he felt for her, she didn't know it. But maybe she should do the first step and find out it.

With a short look in the rear-view mirror Naruto observed the two passengers. An unknown feeling mixed with his watchfulness. He had never seen his boss and at the same time friend so relaxed. He seemed to feel fine and this didn't happen really often.

Naruto put the indicator and turned at a big crossroad. He only remembered too well how the era of his friend had begun. He would never be able to forget what he had seen on that day. The whole blood, many dead people, this everything had been the beginning of him what ruled now.

Cruelty.

The Uzumaki got creeps when he remembered how his friend had changed overnight. The kind student whom he had got to know changed into a monster without feeling, a monster that nobody dared to stop. In view of what had happened with his family, this did not surprise him, however, Naruto wished every now and then if nightmares struck him that there would never have been that awful incident.

Now then indeed their future would look different. Reluctantly the blonde remembered how it was, as a Sasuke left him the choice.

Life or death.

Sometimes he asked himself what would have been if he had decided differently. He would never have got to know the woman whom he loved; his hands would never have got in touch with blood. And he would never have provided for the fact that quite a lot of a high-powered politician were dead now. The carriage held and Naruto hoped that he succeeded in sounding neutral.

"We arrived."

Behind Sasuke freed himself of the young woman and helped Izumi in the alighting. The blonde pulled his hat deeper in the face and to him a change with his boss struck him once more. Since he knew this Izumi, the visits with other women had become rare, it was already as if they did not belong any more to his life. It was as if there had never been escapades of his side.

Izumi furrowed her eyebrows, because they had stopped at a big department store of the name _Anyalis_. Till present she knew the interior equipment of this luxury business only from the television. Sasuke passed her his hand and she accepted. Unerringly he led her to the entrance where already a sort of page detained the big glass door in a deep-blue uniform.

"You know when we were in the cinema and I had look at these terribly pretty bloodsucker-"

"His name was Michael Corvin, Sasuke." Izumi had to smile and looked around with big eyes.

A huge luster hung on the receipt, everywhere she could put out shop assistants who waited only to be allowed to talk with them.

"Well … in any case it was about the fact that you swarmed that the ball dress resembled your evening dress for the auction, you know, the auction on which I wanted to take you with me." He took the coat from her and passed him together with his one to another page. "Really Izumi, such an evening dress should be forbidden!" Even as she wanted to protest, the black-haired already talked further: "I don't want to imagine at all of what bad material it was produced."

The FBI agent rolled her eyes, due to the sound of her companion she was able to hear that he permitted a joke to himself. Gently he pulled her with him, while they went through the different departments and Izumi was only able to admire the luxury, she caught a look at the clock. "Tell me, aren't these stores already closed?"

Sasuke was quiet, whereupon she became a little nervous, because she anticipated why the department store was still open. "You …"

"For me a those shops never close," he informed when she still looked for the right words that she was able to throw at him.

"But, nevertheless, we could also have gone shopping during the day!" Izumi was obviously disagreeable that many people still had to work only because of her.

Sasuke stopped, they were already in the department for evening clothes and amused he found out how the young woman looked around on his side. "Please do me the favor and let me spoil you."

She sighed and a shop assistant hurried towards them to present to her the big choice of clothes. "I think really nicely of you that you sacrifice yourself thus for me!"

"Sacrifices is a little understatement."

Izumi punched him lightly in the ribs and continued: "But don't you believe that you yourself have also earned a small surprise once?"

Doubtfully Sasuke looked down at her; a perfidious smile adorned her lips. Affectionately she glided over his cheek. "Come on, Sasuke if you spoil me, I would want to spoil you too."

While she spoke so delightfully with him, she pushed him a little from the department. "Now you drink a tasty cappuccino and in just 1 hour I am ready, alright?"

The Uchiha didn't like the proposal, only reluctantly he left her alone, finally, he didn't know what would come up to him. He looked over her head and briefly scrutinized the shop assistant who waited in a sure distance, internally he sighed deeply. "Alright. However, you better not make nonsense and look afterwards like –"

He interrupted himself, because the young woman in front of him looked at him threateningly. Briefly she breathed a kiss on his cheek and then walked away from him "Would you mind leaving us alone then?"

Sasuke wanted to express outrage just when it became clear that it was the first time in his life that a woman treated him like that. Indifferently he walked away and noted that Izumi didn't let him out of her sight. She turned round only to the shop assistant when he was out of sight.

"Listen…", the redhead started to explain friendly. "Unfortunately, I have no idea of clothes, quality and thus, so I hope that you can help me a little bit with your good taste."

The shop assistant who already counted nearly 50 years smiled and nodded as she asked her to come with her to the cloakroom. "I would need your clothes size and your favorite colors."

Izumi considered couple of minutes, finally, she answered: "No, please don't give me clothes after my predilections. Could you not look after something what would fit to Mr. Uchiha, so if I carried it?" With the words she became a little red, it was embarrassing for her anyhow to be accompanied by such a good-looking man.

The shop assistant nodded slowly and scrutinized her once again from the top to the bottom. "Completely?"

Though Izumi did not know what the nice woman meant with it, but she simply nodded. Shortly a dress was already presented to her after the next. With luminous eyes she examined these wonderful pieces, however, the shop assistant shook every time energetically her head.

Violet did not fit her, pink also not and white looked painful too.

"What you need, is something remarkable, something unique!" Energetically she snapped with her fingers, then she rushed from the big cabin and came again seconds later with a new dress.

When she held it up, so that Izumi could look at it better, her breath. It was green, really vibrating green and strapless.

"Oh well, I think it is better if the dress goes only scarcely up to your knees, because otherwise your long legs would not be properly effective", explained the shop assistant "The color would let you stand out from the crowd, believe me, 80 percent of all female ladies will wear in this evening black or white and remaining 20 percent are already so old that they will fall back on beige."

Izumi got up and touched the green material, it felt so soft that she wished flatly, it would be no dress but bedclothes. Below where her bosom would be were three rows of white pearls embroidered and the end of the swinging skirt showed her legs off.

"I-I would not know at all which shoes, hairstyle or underwear I should wear in addition," she confessed embarrassingly touched, however, this brought the shop assistant not from the ebullition. Instead, she smiled friendly and spoke confidently: "This might be no problem, only you should tell your company discreetly that it could last a little longer than one hour."

A relieved smile crept over Izumi's face and she reached for her mobile phone, internally she hoped that Sasuke could be still held out so long. If she really succeeded to make a real surprise to him, then, finally, she would be able to enjoy a small.

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Furiously Kiba ran through the corridors of the FBI. In his right hand he held an act. He stamped in the door of the office that he shared with his colleagues.

He banged the act on the table in front of two present colleagues, so that Ino looked at him irritated. "Listen, we aren't responsible for your bad mood."

Sometimes it was more than only nerve-wracking to work together with men. Till present they weren't able to narrow the circle of the suspects, so that their mood sank. 41 people were it and would remain it also.

Only alone Shino remained calm. "What is that scandalous?"

Kiba opened the folder and spoke with clear stress: "De Cossions …" He held to them a picture of a man of middle age, his temples were lightly grey, but otherwise he could still be called an extremely attractive man.

"Dead!" Kiba was thundering, so that it hunted Ino creeps over her back.

"Pitt dead, McKenzie dead, de la Croix dead, Clooney dead, Sheen dead, Damon dead, Aniston dead, Jolie dead..."

Shino took the warrants of apprehension of the men; anyhow he got the feeling as if Uchiha exchanged his whole cadre. "Where has one found their corpses?"

Contemptuous snorting slipped out of Kiba and he dropped himself on a chair. "In graves. Hey guys, the FBI let on all cemeteries dig up suspicious graves, because since newest it seems to be Uchiha's hobby to accompany his victims on a cemetery, they allow to dig up there their own grave and then to shoot them. Then one leaves the hole after they have closed it and the corpse has disappeared!"

Ino trembled; a cold shiver ran down her back, this man was much more than only brilliant. His cruel imagination showed that he was able to do far more than one credited him.

"Should we tell Izumi about it?"

"No.", Shino said and turned away from the warrants of apprehension. "It would make her only nervous as she already is."

Uncertainly Kiba and Ino exchanged looks, to them it was kind of a problem to hide certain facts from her colleague, and finally, she should also remain on the newest status. However, about that seemed Shino had no thought. He strode up to his desk and sat down in front of his PC.

The other deaths who decorated now also an act in the gigantic shelves had only shown him too clearly that their target became cheekier and cheekier. However, against every rule the monster cannot be detained and till present Izumi still had been able to steer nothing useful in addition.

Of course he understood that it was after 2 ½ months still awfully difficultly for them not to endanger Uchiha's trust. Nevertheless, Shino gave respect to her, because she seemed to play her role more than only perfectly, because that Uchiha really showed big interest in her.

"Meanwhile I think that his three hangmen must particularly be a special," he heard Kiba grumble. "I mean, are they all three thick mates or what? One could almost mean, they know themselves since the university or something similar!"

Shino solidified in his movements. Something rattled in his brain, because the word university had released something with him. His core shook when he slowly went to the shelve and took out that list which originated in the evening, as Izumi was in the baseball stadium with Uchiha. Erratic he leafed, until he paused, finally.

His stomach cramped when he looked at the face of a young man. His blond hair stood off in all directions and guileless blue eyes stared at him.

Naruto Uzumaki

The name itself said nothing him, still Shino felt that he, finally, was right. Quick he threw a look at the curriculum vitae, until he had found, finally, what he searched. University Orlando American, main focus mathematics, physics and technology. Once more he stepped back to his desk.

Internally Shino forced himself, because if now he would start to become inattentive, he would commit a mistake. Skilled his fingers darted over the keyboard, his eyes were directed stiffly upon the screen. The last mouse click and he had what he searched.

The curriculum vitae of the Uchiha.

With knocking hearts the FBI agent searched it, his expression admitted no emotion. Only when the dumpling started to free itself in his neck, a contented smile adorned his lips. Finally, he had a track, one with which he could be sure that he was right. From 41 people who had called up on that day in the vicinity had stepped exactly one with Uchiha closer in contact and this was this Uzumaki.

Shino looked after no doubt about the fact that both had to know each other. And if now everything was not deceptive, Uzumaki would have to stay in the company of his former co-student. Work there or do other things. There was only a possibility to find out whether he had kept right and this was checking.

Shino got up and took his jacket of the hook. Irritated Ino and Kiba looked at him, however, he said nothing and walked purposefully out of the office, they didn't get around to asking. He would have to plan everything exactly, so that nothing failed. He would this time them do everything alright and then there were only few meters from them to Uchiha and his arrest.

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Uncertainly a young woman scrutinized herself in the mirror. The shoulder-long hair looked short now, because it had got locks. However, Izumi could not deny that her splendor looked now really pretty. Without any clips and jeweler the whole still looked a little extreme and anyhow more exotic. The green dress cuddles up advantageously to her curves and stressed how the shop assistant had said, her long legs.

In the shoes she could run really well, she admired the woman whom she had discussed. Their knowledge for the upper society was an advantage really. A car honked from outdoors and she turned away from her own reflexion.

Quick she reached for her coat and her handbag. A look at the clock told her that he was punctual, as usual. Carefully she walked the stairs to the front door down and was surprised when she found Naruto. He grinned in a good mood and pulled his hat before her.

"Forgive me, Miss Sousei, but Mr. Uchiha sends his apologies, unfortunately, he already had to appear a few hours earlier on the auction, because there were a few negotiations difficulties."

He helped her in the car and noted: "A really nice dress, you have a good taste."

Izumi had to laugh when he started the engine and slowly left the street. Meanwhile she had got used to the car and did not feel any more all too strange on the high-quality leather seats. "Don't say this. The shop assistant was so nice and has prepared me emotionally already for this event. Where does it take place, actually?"

"In the villa of a lawyer. The name is Steward, tells you certainly nothing."

The Sousei considered, indeed, he was unknown to her. Her gaze fell outward; from the corner of her eye she could see how the driver observed her. Somehow she didn't feel comfortable anymore. At least, she could imagine why he looked at her thus scrutinizing, although he was always friendly to her. She deeply sighed: "I understand your position towards myself."

Surprised Naruto looked at her and stopped before a traffic light. "You mean?"

"Well …" The young woman looked for the right words. "I am not certainly the only woman whom you drive every day at wishes of your superior through the area."

Naruto swallowed hard, she had noted his looks and had caught therefore. Indeed, he also recognized that she looked unsafe. However the blonde smiled amused: "Thus I would not see this, Miss Sousei. You know when I started to work with Mr. Uchiha, he was really a regular Casanova, but since just two months he seems to prefer a quiet evening with bath and television."

Izumi felt obviously unnerved and answered nothing, whereupon the driver simply wide talked. "I would say, I have to owe it to you that I lately have to push no more extra hours."

She blushed and declined. "You only pretend this certainly."

The carriage held and Naruto got out to detain the door for her, besides, he winked and confessed: "You know, Mr. Uchiha seems to like you very much, because, otherwise, he would not have given to himself the trouble to book a whole department store for you."

Izumi accepted his hand by the alighting and thanked for the help.

"If you dance tonight with him, think of my words," with it Naruto said goodbye and Izumi threw for the first time a look at the beaming villa in front of herself.

She had to go through a big labyrinth, before she could reach the entrance. However, before she could even enter the garden, from her the coat and the pocket were taken, one assured her that it was not cold in the garden and Izumi already found out after few meters that they were right. Very confidently she put a foot after another.

Sasuke liked her …, however could she trust the words of a driver?

At the same time, however, the redhead found out for herself that this guy had to know it since, he spent most time with Sasuke.

The young woman stopped.

What if the driver was not only driver, but also a friend?

This would mean in plain English that Naruto had to know the three hangmen of his superior. Or what if he was even himself one of them?

Energetically she bit her lower lip, why she had not come to conclusion before? She had to point out her colleagues absolutely to keep an eye on Naruto.

"Did you get lost, Miss Sousei?"

The voice frightened Izumi so that she could only suppress with effort a sharp shout. Directly behind her a young man stood in the uniform of a butler. She tried to be friend and not to let mark that he had torn her from her thoughts and this extremely brutally.

"Not directly, but you could tell me, how I can come to the host dire-" She interrupted herself, because something in this butler made her hesitate. The redhead looked at him more thoroughly, because the stature seemed to her famously, also the voice. The butler smiled at her lightly and then it fell her like shed of her eyes. "Thank you for frightening me, Kiba!"

Her colleague pulled a face "Sorry it was no intention. I wouldn't be here, but Ino insisted on the fact that you have at least once a week strengthening on your side. What has told you that it is me, actually?"

Izumi crossed her: "You have addressed me directly with my name. 'Miss Sousei'. May I know how a butler can know all guests?"

He hit his forehead and quietly cursed. "Oh damn! No word to Shino otherwise he will start to question my skills!"

She had to smile, it was good to talk, finally, once again with somebody in front of her whom one did not have to pretend in any manner. However, fast the joy lay down again, it was a risk what they did here, finally, they ran in the constant danger to fly up.

She pulled him down to herself and whispered: "I would like you to keep an eye on Naruto Uzumaki, he could know who the three hangmen are."

Izumi could feel that the complete body of her colleague hardened, because he swallowed hard and looked at her seriously. She had to have thrown off him completely. The FBI agent nodded scarcely, then she found again back in her role. "What did you say, how can reach the host?"

Kiba had a tough time to put up his identity and he stammered: "T-t-the next one right and then straight ahead and then turn left then with the fourth crossroad."

Izumi thanked and then continued her way, still she could feel the look of her colleague. With this small news she had embarrassed him too much. Hopefully he did not behave in any manner conspicuously.

She kept to the road description and stepped few minutes later out of the labyrinth. A sea of lampions applied in front of her and she noted that on the huge terrace already some loaded guests romped about.

Quiet music played in the background and several waiters welcomed her, while one offered a glass of champagne to her. The young woman interfered very unobtrusively among the people and marveled at the inside of the villa. From the terrace one came directly to the sitting room what resembled now a reception room.

Everything shone in a beaming white, only the pieces of furniture contrasted by expensive leather armchairs and fine marble tables. The shop assistant had kept right, about half of the present guests carried black or white, above all the female part.

Elegant and still simple.

She herself stung from the amount out like a sore thumb what conjured her a light redness on the cheeks. Izumi left behind the sitting room and turned round searching for her company.

The further she went, the more unwell she felt. Since everyone seemed to know where he belonged. Internally she sighed quietly and put down her glass, meanwhile she was in the tea room and heard some older ladies blithering cheerfully and exchanging the newest clap.

Izumi observed a small group which had sat down in a corner and sipped pleased at their tea. In spite of the advanced age they looked extremely attractive.

Maybe, however, these were even imaginations, because the whole jewelry and the expensive clothes could also change only the surface a little. Izumi asked herself whether it could maybe concern a really effective cream which the ladies all used to keep pace her appearance.

She turned away her look and held to wide look out after a black-haired young man, called Sasuke.

"Mademoiselle, can I help you with something maybe?"

Izumi noted the man to her right and smiled friendly. He carried a deep-blue suit which sat like tailor-made in his body; however, the really most remarkable in him was his hair. At first she had believed, they would be of silver, however, the longer she looked at him, it was the more probably that they were actually grey.

"Yes, I am looking for Mr. Uchiha. Do you know where he is maybe?"

The stranger smiled and put away his wineglass. "May I ask why?"

"He has invited me to accompany him." Izumi knew that she sounded like a teenager; however, at the moment she had really other worries than a man whose name did not know them yet to preserve position. "Only something interfered him when he wanted to take me, which is why we wanted to meet here."

The man nodded and offered his arm to her. "If you permit, I will lead you to him.".

Uncertainly she laid his hand on the arm and followed him. "As it looks, your company does not seem to be able to break loose from his pursuers."

They stepped together in a big hall, before they walked a huge stair which owned a wing to two sides up.

"To pursuers? Do you mean also yourselves?", it should sound like a joke, however even as Izumi had pronounced the following sentence, she realized icily that it could absolutely be that the man also had mud some sort of dark side. However, to her surprise the man got her joke and laughed.

"No, no, you misunderstand me. Mr. Uchiha and I are active in two different branches. I work for the medical organization of human rights. They already know the one Dr. Garrigan has founded, in order to support underdeveloped countries."

The name Garrigan was familiar to her and, nevertheless, the face in front of her remained unknown. "I guess, you are also a doctor."

"Not directly, I do not operate any more, but I take care after the different devices of treatment and drugs. My name is Dr. Kakashi Hatake, by the way."

"Izumi Sousei."

They had meanwhile reached the first floor and once more she had to orientate herself. !If you are with Mr. Uchiha here, you're sort of his ticket for a quiet evening."

He smiled at his words, which is why Izumi wanted to know more exactly and the man confessed. "You know, your company is surely liked with the other gender of the higher society. I mean, every father hopes that his daughter would have a boyfriend like Mr. Uchiha."

Izumi could easily imagine how all the girls were running after Sasuke however even before she could express herself further, a butler detained to them a heavy wooden door and they entered a big spacious library.

A heavy smell confronted her.

She could recognize that several men had met and stood in groups together. Almost each of them moved in a cigar and, besides, represented energetically his opinion. Surprised Izumi found out that all age groups were together, differently than with the ladies.

Unerringly Mr. Hatake led her through the big space, before he nodded to a group of men who stood next to the huge windows. Izumi let go of his arm and thanked politely, then she strode up to the group. She recognized her company and noted that he had also seen her.

Izumi smiled, however, and then she stopped. Since the expression of the Uchiha changed, the closer she came to him.

From disinterest, to joy and, finally, to surprise.

Was something wrong?

He came up to her and she had to admit herself that he looked once again wonderful in the suit. The black formed a unity with his hair, but a contrast to his skin. However, before Izumi could further deal with his appearance, his face attracted all her attention once more.

The surprised had disappeared and the emotionless look had returned. It was that expression that had accompanied them in the first evening on the yacht.

Had his emotion been just possibly an imagination?

No, Izumi couldn't believe that. Izumi's hands got cold, walking towards her was exactly the man, she had to tail, to watch, to seduce, to spy on. The Sasuke who had joked a few days ago cheerfully with her had disappeared again, and a self-controlled businessman was left.

However, why was it just been sure that he had lost his attitude?

Did it lie possibly really in her appearance?

Was Naruto really right with his statement and something lay within her?

Now Sasuke stood directly in front of her and she noted strange lights in his dark eyes. Internally everything shook again in her what was wrong?

Why was she so nervous again?

His cold fingers raised her chin and softy lips briefly lay down on her. "You look breathtaking, my beautiful."

The words hunted shivers down her back.

It cost Izumi any control that she owned to smile at him. She hoped that it looked as real as possible and answered: "I told you it is a surprise."

Sasuke glided her affectionately over the cheek, it seemed to him to make no difference whether they were observed or not. "You have my respect, the long waiting has been worthwhile. You look like pure seduction."

"And you look like Adonis in human form." To her it was unusual that he whispered her words in the ear that sounded like a sin.

Nevertheless, Sasuke was content with what he heard from her and laid her hand on his arm. "Before you compare me furthermore to some gods, I would like to introduce to you some friends."

He turned round again and put on his well-known look again. Izumi didn't want to admit it, but slowly it became clear to her that his smile, his flattering words, even only his whole humanity were determined for her all alone.

While she walked towards the unknown group, with a man on her side who appeared to her still like a myth after months her steps became saver and saver.

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Hidden in a well animated street a man leant against a shop-window disc. Shino stretched the cap deeper in his face and surged up the collars of his jacket. His eyes rested without a break on the big company building in front of him.

He had gone through all possible facts the whole day and he was sure to find unequivocal proofs in the company of their target. He would get a search warrant at the earliest in one week, however, thus long he could not wait, moreover, he would endanger with it his colleague needlessly. For the case that today should fail a little bit he had took all possible measures, even if he was sure that they were unnecessary.

Still it was clever to let prevail care as forbearance. A look at the clock showed him that it was the time. Light burnt only in the upper floors, however, from a reliable source Shino knew that it was fake. In fast steps he crossed the street and buried the hands in his trouser pockets.

As planned somebody left directly in front of him the company, which is why the door stood far open. In view of the late hour nobody more worked on the receipt. The scanty light reflected him on the marble tiles. Shino's figure was dark what he had intended, because in bright clothes he would be seen to easily in a place like this.

A quick look through the dark receipt hall with the big tinted windows told him that the space was video supervised. With two steps he was in the dead corner and maintained this kind of the locomotion. Now it was a matter only of finding out where the office of the Uzumaki was.

If he was really one of three hangmen, the likelihood insisted to 80 percent that he himself had to have as a driver access to all possible data. As soon as Shino had reached the lift, he pulled a small device from his jacket pocket. It had the size of a mobile phone, however, his function was quite another.

The FBI agent reached in his side pocket which was in his trousers and a spanner came out of it. Capably he came along to the work to screw on the figure sheet for the lift. The doors closed and waited for his further instruction.

However, this had time.

The figure sheet was hardly away, he attached the small mobile phone-shaped device and it pointed his true function. Shino sometimes didn't come round to admit that it was an advantage to be a technology genius.

The small device stored away important data and had at the same time access to everything what was as virtually important in this company. When a small green lamp lighted up, Shino separated the device again. Everything shook in him. If he acted now correctly, they had taken an immense step forward. He looked on the information which could not be kept from him now any more. A contented smile darted over his lips.

His small device or the UC-PC had stored away thus everything what could help him. All together a computer was in the company on which probably most proofs of Uchiha's misdeeds were to be found and this was the computer of the boss himself. Then there was to expect another three ones which gave up a high memory status. To find out further details he had to potter about in one of three PCs.

Shino looked for the way with the help of the UC-PC and went directly to the eighth floor. The FBI agent tried to hide the shivering of his hands and clenched his hand to a fist. Now the excitement might overcome him. The lift stopped and Shino made sure that he could also move in the dead corner. Even if he maybe did not look in such a way, nevertheless, he knew how one had to behave in case of special burglaries. Three years with a special unity had made a many-sided agent out of him.

His breath went unexpectedly quietly. Also when he reached the office he was looking for, he was calmness himself. The door was concluded what should show no other obstacle for him. He activated his UC-PC once more; this generated a sort of magnetic stripe that he could pull then through the appropriate slit, so that the door jumped open.

Shino didn't dare to switch on the light, however because he could recognize the outlines of the pieces of furniture, he was content with it and strode up quietly to the desk. Except a desk, a book shelve and couch he could recognize nothing else.

The young FBI agent sat down in front of the PC and let his UC-PC guess the password as well as all other safety measures he had to overcome. It seemed to him like half an eternity, until the computer had started and he had access to all possible data.

As the small device on his side gave its okay, Shino took a deep breath. He was only a few keys away from his aim, unintentionally his heart started to beat even faster. As by itself his fingers darted over the keyboard.

Besides, his eyes were nearly stuck on the screen. The data rushed along him and the environment disappeared. Only his heartbeat was to be heard. The information that was on this computer was worth a lot and would quiet all defenders of the Uchiha.

Even with McTennille, Uchiha's top lawyer he would have no chance. Shino's expression became abusive. Finally, he could allow accusing the murderer of his fiancée. After infinite time her death would be avenged.

He clicked with the mouse in a promising folder and his heart made unintentionally a hop.

More than 45 orders for three hangmen had been stored here. They all should be explained during the next three months and he couldn't exclude it yet that still some would not come in addition.

Shino's eyes darted over the table and he made the whole one pack up to e-mail. As if he was obsessed he wanted to provide for the fact that his colleague received this information. He knew that Kiba would react immediately, as soon as he would find the mail in his folder.

"Would you mind telling me what you are doing here?"

The cold barrel of a gun lay down on Shino's temple and he solidified in the midst of his movement. He was only two clicks away to send off the mail. His breath faltered and his hands got cold immediately.

The FBI agent hardly dared to see aside, sweat ran down his forehead. The ugly smell of smoke confronted him. Beside him stood a man with a longer brown hair. Even before Shino had properly scrutinized him, the light was switched on and a second man was in the room.

This one had dark red hair and seemed astonished also a little to discover him here. Both looked entirely different and, nevertheless, Shino could recognize that both were surrounded by something that made them similar again to each other. No doubt, before him were two of the three hangmen.

Shikamaru looked on the screen, surprised at the fact that someone had dared generally to penetrate so far, he examined the man in front of him. "Little one, I believe we have a big fish of the FBI here."

Gaara grinned abusively; his trains accepted a foreign hardness. In vague steps he came up to his colleague. "Nevertheless, I have told you that somebody puts his nose too deeply in our matters."

Shikamaru sat down on the desk right before Shino, as he still held the gun incessantly on his victim. The calmness of the intruder told him that he dealt with an expert. "Who has helped you to get in here?"

Shino kept quiet, nobody. However, apparently both hangmen thought that among them was an informant.

Gaara noted the small UC-PC and tore it away of the computer. With interest he scrutinized the thing and spoke: "Do you mean, the boss leaves that thing to me?"

"Only if you work cleanly," noted Shikamaru and crocked his head thoughtfully. He seemed have no interest in the UC-PC.""What do you think, what should we do with our little guest here?"

The redhead noted the cynical grin of his colleague. "No idea, tell me."

Shikamaru's eyes were glittering and he quietly whispered: "I thought about something new for our oh so dear friends of the FBI."

Shino swallowed hard and his fingernails dug into the leather upholsterer, his hands turned white. He had to get out of here, or, he was dead.

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	8. Human Weakness

**| $ | Human Weakness | $ |**

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Quiet music fulfilled the space and Izumi could hardly expect to be led in the room in which the auction should begin. Everywhere she saw twaddling people; she herself was in the circles of several young ladies. Just as she has been put out as Sasuke's company, she had already become the center of attention. The young women talked to everybody at the same time what tugged on her nerves.

Why did the Uchiha leave her alone when she had insisted on getting a bit food only?

Now he stood with a content expression in sure distance with several men, in an extremely important discussion.

Izumi sighed deeply, as her expression suddenly brightened. "Miss Hyuuga!"

The black-haired seemed also delighted to see her again, so she asked the redhead a to admire a splendid painting with her. Both women could free themselves of the curious crowd and spoke shortly after lively about van Gogh and da Vinci.

Sasuke pursued his evening company with his look. Nearly he would have lost his attitude with her arrival; her appearance had nearly thrown him off. The green dress put her even more in the center of attention next to the other present ladies and exactly this enticed him.

His words which he had whispered to her in the ear had been meant seriously, even if Izumi had looked at it probably as a good joke. Sasuke reached for a champagne glass and observed how the young redhead woman talked lively to the Hyuuga heiress about the pictures of van Gogh and da Vinci.

If Izumi made friends with the Hyuuga, it would be an advantage for him only, because Hinata knew his machination. Not free of charge her cousin was one of his best business partners. And the fact that she had a relationship with Naruto for already 1 ½ years, had provided that she became somebody inalienable for him.

Sasuke took a gulp of champagne and wanted to turn again to his interlocutors when he felt that several women observed him.

A knowing smile adorned his lips. They all had been the purpose for one, two nights for him; however, apparently they had liked him. Indeed, today he rejected all unequivocal offers. He had found somebody for whom it was worthwhile to spend longer time with.

Izumi was this woman.

She had shown him that a respect was valid not only through a physical aspect, but absolutely could also originate from gestures, words and long unique moments.

"_And herewith I would like to open the annual auction action!"_

The voice of a cubby small man resounded through the big space, most guests had gathered around tables and now looked up to the stage. Behind the man the product on the canvas was projected. Izumi who was beside Sasuke rather far on the left in the hall and had therefore at the same time a marvelous view of the garden which was lighted up now with torches, asked: "What is everything auctioned tonight, actually?"

Sasuke leant back calmly and explained: "Houses, ships, pictures and so on. Actually, nothing but dull stuff."

"And why are you here then?" she was visibly amused about his bored expression. Not often she experienced him in such a way.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well, anyhow I must maintain my contacts as a businessman right? And before I sacrifice myself for scary dinner parties, I'd rather appear here."

He put his hand within Izumi's hand silently. Affectionately she explored the contours of his right hand and found out that it was quite a lot bigger than hers. Also his skin was contradictorily to hers. So flat, nearly quite white. Sasuke noted her gentle gesture and turned his palm, so that she could also stroke his hand under the table with her finger domes. Izumi had to smile. He understood her also without words.

"And do you find here sometimes something that you like?", she tried to hold the conversation and he laid his head a little crooked, still he looked as if he would listen with interest of the auction.

"Seldom, nevertheless, earlier I have always stayed till the end."

"May I get to know why?" she noted that he didn't want to really tell her, however, now her curiosity was woken up. Sasuke wanted to remain silent; however, thus easily he did not get away from her. "Sasuke. Come on, it cannot be so bad.", now she bent a little over to him and had to laugh.

The Uchiha sighed quietly: "At the end a woman is always auctioned namely for an evening. Mostly the organizer selects them personally, because she was the center of his party."

Knowingly Izumi lifted the eyebrows. "And? Has biding been worthwhile then?", she could imagine where the evening had mostly ended, because indeed the women wouldn't be quite ugly.

"At the beginning I always thought, yes."

"But?", she probed and slowly realized that she irritated him.

"But after some time it became clear to me that they were the same in a certain way. You know.", he added. "Everybody wished to lead a life at the side of a rich man and then one was a housewife and rich lady."

Izumi understood; that had been the reason, why he had never remained long with a woman. Most had got used to the spoilt life and bored him.

"Today I simply hope that there on top will not stand somebody who makes mooneyes at you," Izumi joked.

"Why should somebody make mooneyes at me?"

The redhead sighed quietly and took a gulp of her Martini. "You know Sasuke, someone has told me right interesting anecdotes about you."

He acted indifferently; however, as she didn't speak further, he realized that he had to ask to get answers. "Alright who tells such a nonsense?"

"Oh he and her. Oh well and her or sometimes also not," Izumi grinned knowingly that she irritated him, however, exactly this seemed to be what never bored him in her. Sasuke bent over to her and wanted to whisper something in the ear as a loud voice sounded and a strong light blinded them both.

"_And now I would want to them who introduce today's auction lady of the evening!"_

Applause sounded and Izumi got up irritated.

"_Would you come forward please, Miss?"_

Uncertainly she looked at her company and was led on the stage. Sasuke hit his forehead.

Why her?

Why had Steward to select her?

Weren't Naomi and Abigail worth enough or did the profit not affect any more, because both stood almost every time in front of the bachelors?

Not with him!

This woman was his and he would do the devil to leave her tonight to someone else. Sasuke observed how the small chubby man welcomed Izumi and she asked her to turn what she did more or less happily. Her smile looked unsafe, finally, she did not know what was now going to happen to her.

"_My gentlemen. Beside me a lovely lady is standing 27 years old, distinct good education and fantastic appearance!"_

The young woman blushed, however, had no problem to join in with his little play. Gallantly she laid a hand on his shoulder whereupon he praised further her.

"_We begin with 15,000 who offers more?"_

Several hands rang upwards and Izumi threw a short look at her evening company. However, Sasuke seemed as if he didn't want to get involved in this auction at all. To chambers he leant back and sipped at his wine. She threw him to a warning look, however, the whole seemed to amuse him only more.

"_25,000, 30,000, 35, 40, the offer stands with 45. 000 dollars. Who offers more? Steward going once …"_

The redhead threw a look at Sasuke and noted that he had already brought his check book. No, now this couldn't be right. Sasuke would not leave her simply with someone else.

Above all if she meant something to him.

"_60,000 dollars!"_ the chubby man suddenly yodeled beside her and immediately some guests turned round.

Izumi's heart was knocking madly, because Sasuke had lifted his hand and therefore had quoted the price. Steward briefly turned round, then he sighed disappointed and the loud voice of the man beside her, announced the judgment.

"_With 60,000 dollars the young woman goes to Mr. Uchiha."_

Relieved Izumi exhaled and the guests clapped. She should learn to be more patient. "You have had luck Miss", noted a quiet voice beside her and she looked in two contented brown eyes. "It is the first time that Mr. Uchiha outbids the price of 45,000 dollars. You must be someone special."

She smiled politely and confessed: "I would rather say, I control him very well."

He laughed and suddenly she noted a hand that wanted to help her going down the steps of the stage.

"Have we been a bit in panic fort one teeny-weeny bit?"

Sasuke grinned knowingly, whereupon she lifted only one eyebrow and walked very haughtily along him. "Panic? Me and panic? Oh no not at all."

Even before she had reached the last step and stood directly in front of him, however, she had to laugh and gave him a light push in the stomach. "Don't do such a thing never again! Do you hear?", easily annoyed she considered to him. "I had already accepted that I had to spend my precious time with this idiot."

Sasuke laid his arms around her hip and laid his cold lips on her neck. His voice sounded hoarse: "As a consideration for this rescue I simply suppose sometimes that you remain today with me, am I right?"

The young woman had to swallow hard and wanted to answer as he laid one finger on her lips. "No excuses, this time you'll be playing according to my rules."

He put arm around her waist and pulled her gently with him, because the people had risen and now flowed out in different directions. On the terrace place, or to enjoy a small snack.

"Oh, by the way," Sasuke reached for a martini and handed it to her. "This there will be no piano you can deflect me with."

A roguish grin darted over his face and Izumi had nearly dropped the glass. "You …", she looked threateningly according to the right words, however Sasuke was quicker and stroked one lock out of her face.

"Just joking, I am planning to kidnap you, actually, and bring you to quite a particular house."

"Kidnapping again?", it slipped out of her and he realized all of a sudden that it sounded in her ears once more too brutally and he quietly had to laugh. Surprised Izumi scrutinized his soft trains, too seldom she saw him thus relaxed.

"Okay, then we say: I would like to invite you to an inspection tour. Better?"

"Much better!", she nodded and wanted to know.

"Will the small excursion also be worthwhile?"

Sasuke remained silent and walked directly in a bordered space. "How about us eating a bit and then we are walking in the direction of the exit, because I can promise to you that there where we will spend the night won't be a so festive meal."

She did not answer but proceeded to the big sideboard, this time she had somebody on her side who knew this food a lot better and could help her.

"I interpret this sometimes as a 'yes',", Sasuke put her hand in his and lifted his head. He would enjoy this evening here, all the same which mucus bag would join them, with Izumi's presence his mood rose and on a lowering was not to be hoped for the time being.

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Shino crashed on the hard, cold ground. His head hurt and a vague noise rushed through his brain. The ground under him shook, he could open only slowly and hesitantly his eyes. On the first sight his view had become blurred, however, the longer he quietly remained the clearer it became.

After minutes of silence steps were to be heard loudly through the windowless space. The agent tried to breathe quietly and, besides, noted the blood that spread on the dirty ground. His lung hurt with every movement, also his ribs. The blows of the hangman had been not quite harmless especially the tools they had used.

The iron rod had been especially bad.

Over and over again a blow had followed the next one.

"Looks bad for our oh so great FBI dude," an abusive voice resounded through the space and Shino tried to stand up wheezy what he managed only up to half.

The aching limbs held him of it from themselves free to move. His heart knocked to him up to the neck and for over one hour he did live with the certainty here not to come out alive here anymore. Only a miracle could still save him and he did not believe in it. Miracles were something for dreamers and he was a realist.

Shikamaru bent down to him and spit him in the face. "I love it when you lie whimpering on the ground. Your kind would already have had to learn to creep during the education to crosses.", he turned to his colleague. "So? What do we do now with him?"

Gaara leant in the door frame thoughtfully: "You know I have read there recently an absolutely interesting book. In some regions of Africa one punishes betrayer or intruders in a rather interesting manner."

Shikamaru rose. "I am all ears," the redhead pushed himself from the door and walked towards his colleague.

His expression resembled that of a maniac.

"One hangs up such people, on their own skin."

Shino tore his eyes open, his whole body hardened. However, the hangman still was not yet ready with his implementation.

"Mostly in a tree or so and there they often get stuck for days. If they shout, they say the evil is pulled out of them."

Shikamaru laid his head crooked, he liked the whole. Very well even. Both men looked down on their victim, only with a lot of trouble Shino got to suppress the shivering of his hands, namely since he clenched his hands to fists. He would show no fear. He would not give this satisfaction to them.

"Get some rakes," spoke Gaara shortly and Shikamaru grinned. "We hang him up here, let's see how long he endures it," the black-haired left the space and banged the door behind him.

Gaara bent down and lighted himself a cigarette. "To invent this miracle piece is quite clever from you," he held the small UC-PC in the right hand. "It was stupid from you to come in here today," Shino gave no answer, but stared at his opponent only grimly, however, this didn't seem to put out him in the least. "If I had been you, I would have taken at least some strengthening with me, but luckily the FBI guys seem to be too proud for a fair cooperation. I bet with you that your colleagues don't know that you are here."

He had hit the nail right on the head, however Shino would have never admitted even in the sight of the death. However, now he was really able to call himself an idiot. He had been a fool. He should at least have told Kiba what he planned, however, his stubbornness had been bigger than his sanity.

The iron door glided once more open and Shikamaru entered, in the hands he held a rope and two big rakes. "Luckily we have a smashed janitor."

Gaara laughed and pulled up Shino with ease by the collar of his T-shirt, with full force he was pressed to the wall and the shirt was torn up to his belly in two. Violently breathing and groaning in pain Shino closed his eyes tightly. Shikamaru stepped closer. "And where has one put the rakes?"

"In the chest area," informed Gaara and both men held an arm of the man, around his legs they didn't have any more trouble, because these were so smashed meanwhile that he might hardly be moving.

Shikamaru examined the rake in his right hand and he confessed: "Nice way of dying, isn't it? At least a little honorable. We have differently handled with your predecessor."

"Less friendly," Gaara agreed and bent to Shino. "We let him blow up himself. You know, in a nice forest where no one was able to hear his screams."

A cold shiver ran down the FBI agent's back, his eyes stared to the cover where artificial light was burning down and, nevertheless, it was for him something cheering. Still while he concentrated on the light he felt cruel pain, strictly he bit his lower lip and closed his eyes tightly. He would not shout no matter whether they chopped off a limb or would set his living body on fire.

The last what he wanted was to be granting them the triumph that they had broken him. Still while both hangmen rammed the rakes in his naked breast his field of vision with once became blurred everything was getting bright around him.

Cold crept in his body. Two men laughed malicious and it sounded in Shino's ears thus like the bells to his death sentence, then he felt only a painful jerk before his consciousness was a matter dwindling. Easily his lips moved and he wanted to lift the hand.

Everything was so bright…

Cold …

Loud …

He saw a face in front of him that visited him already every night in his dreams. His beloved Kin … her skin shone so bright that it blinded him and, nevertheless, he could clearly recognize her and shyly smiled.

His heart cramped and he felt clear knocking in his breast. It slowed down and the less he heard it, the more warmly it became to him. However, this did not interest him, his eyes half open still stared, continually at this wonderful woman in front of him.

She passed one of her tender hands to him. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders and suddenly she was so close to him that he had the feeling to inhale her heavenly smell of lily of the valley. Shino saw that she moved her mouth and tried to tell him something. However, no word of it penetrated to his ears.

Quietly whispering the black-haired wanted to answer to her, however, the only thing what came over his dry lips was: "K-Kin … I-I-'m … coming … t-to … y … yo-"

His last word fell silent, his eyes became glazed; by itself the corners of his mouth stretched upwards.

It was over, finally, he was with her.

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Izumi looked from the huge balcony directly in the illuminated garden. She had never seen such a nice house. It lay lonely and left alone in the middle of Los Angeles. The walls that marked the property were so far apart that they themselves were not to be seen with daylight by the thick wood.

The young woman let her hand glide over the balustrade of the balcony and walked to the gigantic stair to her right side. At the other end Sasuke already waited for her and opened a bottle of champagne. Then he stepped to a white table and poured the contents in two pretty glasses.

Izumi came up to him and with a gesture the pool lighted up brightly and the water shot from a big wall, so that she got the feeling to find a waterfall in the middle of the garden.

"Nice house. How have you got it?"

"Contacts," explained Sasuke shortly and gave her one of the glasses. She took a small gulp as her look fell at the octagonal pool.

Internally she was shaking, because since he had bought her at the auction it was aware to her what would immediately happen if he got closer to her. Izumi tried to remain calm and was estimating all her possibilities once again. There was no piano here, because she had already kept a lookout for it and he had held his word, not one was nearby, although the house was so gigantic.

The young woman had already looked for another diversion; however, she hardly thought that he can be involved in a conversation about art. He would see through this immediately. Of course she had already considered telling him that she wasn't ready yet, but if she was quite honest who would still buy this from her?

He would only become distrustful and she wanted this in no case.

Izumi clasped the glass with both hands, as she looked once more to the pool she got an idea.

Who had said that he had to go over to the attack if she could take her destiny also in her own hands?

The redhead was aware that this action would demand of her now all courage that she could raise, however, it was still better than to wait how a leveret for the queue. Her heart was beating faster and she noted that the restlessness rose in her.

As calm as possible she put down the glass on the table and went in the direction of pool. When she had soft grass under her feet, she slipped off her sandals and her naked feet touched the grass. Izumi briefly looked over her shoulder and noted the Sasuke looked confused over to her.

Still he didn't know what she planned. She was not sure yet herself whether she wanted to do this here also really, however, the courage won.

"What is wrong, Sasuke? Suddenly so quiet," her voice was amused and without waiting for an answer her hands went to the fastener at the back of her dress.

Slowly, almost in slow motion she opened it. She felt his amazed look in her neck and had to smile. For her it was always the nicest moment when they were together and was able to throw him off with a gesture or made even dumbfounded. The green sin-like dress slided from her body and landed on the meadow.

Fleet-footed Izumi rose over that and put her feet after another in the direction of pool. Meanwhile the black top-occupied corset had appeared. Internally she sent a push prayer to the sky and thanked secretly the shop assistant that she had consulted so well.

Izumi swallowed hard, her hands felt strangely cold, but still certain as she opened the tapes on her back. This spot was more difficult part to peel off, however, Izumi was clever enough to do it.

The redhead squinted smiling over her shoulder and tried to sound self-confident. "Don't you wish to accompany me?" the corset also landed in the grass and Sasuke got a marvelous look at her naked back.

As her feet were in the pelvic edge Izumi realized that she had gone already this far she had to bring it to an end. Her fingers touched the black briefs and pulled them slowly, almost challenging down. Finally, she stood completely uncovered in front of him, however, unfortunately, he had only view at her body from the back.

Izumi heard as Sasuke put his glass now also on the table. However, even before he was able to reach her she smiled contently and made a jump in the cold water. The chill water felt good on her heated skin, with the finger domes she touched the ground of the pool and opened her eyes. It was a marvelous feeling in to take the middle of the night a bath.

She had never dared to do such a thing, however, today it was the only way to keep the upper hand, even if it didn't look for him so.

Izumi energetically swam up to the other end of the washbasin, only when she appeared in the waterfall again she briefly closed her eyes. Her hands pushed the shoulder-long hair back again and she disappeared once more.

When she had come behind the waterfall she noted surprised that behind there were steps. Probably these led in the inside of the house. As she wanted to investigate this she felt two cold hands on her naked belly.

Immediately her whole body hardened and she felt his warm breath in her ear. Izumi touched his warm upper part of the body with her back and to her it became clear that they had never been so close like now.

Softly he kissed her neck. She breathed hard and slowly turned round to him. Izumi looked him in the eyes and recognized that they shone with prejoy.

Now she could **not** detain him anymore, however, the question was, wanted she this at all?

Her skin was prickling, her whole body shouted after him. She had been too long in his nearness without something happening. And exactly this was the salient point.

He fascinated her.

However, it was not only that what pulled her in his spell. Izumi had realized during the last weeks that he couldn't get away from him. All the same what he did, it touched her. Every gesture and every word.

At the beginning she had believed her heart would hit in his present only so fast because she was afraid of him, however, as he laid his soft cold lips on her and enticed her according to all rules of the art that her heart was beating so fast because of another reason.

She liked him.

A lot.

Whether it was now an interest, fascination or even really desire, she did not know it. Only one rushed over and over again through her head.

She was losing control over herself.

And one day exactly this would cost it dearly to her.

However, at the moment she didn't want to think about it. His hands went skilled over her body and she sighed. Everything what he did to her felt right. Every touch, every kiss and every caress.

"I cannot catch it yet.", Sasuke whispered quietly "You were really able to hold me out for a whole of 2,5 months."

Izumi smiled and reached for his black hair, blue eyes looked in hers. Affectionately her lips melted once more with each other and the time seemed to stop.

Everything what counted was the current moment

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The wind howled over the fields and the moonlight went over the contours of the trees. Naruto looked in the sky, no star was to be seen far and wide, although it was a cloudless night. A quiet sigh escaped his throat and he threw a look to the right. The blonde smiled, because beside him a black-haired woman had laid her head on his shoulder and looked in silence with him in the distance. Their hands were hooked with each other and symbolized therefore that they belonged together. Naruto inhaled her smell and briefly closed his eyes.

"Why are you so quiet today?" her calm and soft voice let him startle and his expression hardened.

Sometimes he estimated her sensitiveness for problems, however when he didn't want to talk about it, it was hard for him not to become angry. He didn't want to be unfair, finally, she also told him when she had been angry and that she was clearly put out of tune.

"Gaara and Shikamaru have picked up a FBI guy at my desk. They were quite shocked about the fact that somebody had gotten so far without being noted a little bit."

Hinata was quiet, she knew what would mean it if Sasuke would be informed that they had been inattentive for a few minutes. He was a perfectionist and the failure meant breach of trust for him.

And one had to pay this.

"Tomorrow morning our friends will be able to get themselves a present. The two have gone through trouble to wrap it up nicely."

Hinata trembled. She hated it when he talked so disparagingly, however, meanwhile she wasn't in the mood anymore to point out him constantly to it and had decided to accept his way of talking.

"But the reason, why I'm in a bad mood is another. The ingenuity with that the FBI agent had penetrated into the company is frightening. Luckily he had no accomplice, but only the image lets me peel the sweat of my forehead."

The young Hyuuga understood, because, indeed, the FBI became cleverer from month to month. Not that she underestimated the abilities of the Uchiha, but it showed that her opponents didn't sleep and made diligently their homework. "Do you plan to talk with Sasuke about it?"

Naruto nodded, but didn't look very happy. "I have to. Now we must consider exactly how we push and procure our product. Hopefully we won't run directly in a trap."

Only by the image Hinata had to laugh and he looked at her surprised.

"Listen, you don't think seriously that one day somebody will stop Sasuke's game, do you?" she stroked a long strand of hair behind her ear and explained: "Sasuke will already know, why he selects his three hangmen carefully and checks up everybody and everything twice and triply, before he gets involved in a business. Moreover, he delivers to the outside the perfect businessman."

The confidence of his girlfriend lost color on Naruto and he felt how everything became lighter around his heart. "True."

Hinata hesitated before she, finally, spoke out her burning question: "Do you sometimes maybe think of it, well, I mean -" she hesitated and looked into his bright blue eyes "Of getting out of everything?"

Her sudden change of subject irritated Naruto; however, he wanted to come on her question entitled, so he thought thoroughly before he answered.

For a while they sat in silence on the Hollywood swing side by side and seesawed in the steady tact.

"No, never," Hinata sighed deeply, however, he smiled and confessed. "It is due to the fact not only Sasuke and me are rather good mates. Rather it is his promise what deters me a little. Serve lifelong or death threatens you. If one is to him a loyal follower he will recompense you, you betray him, and he will punish you accordingly. You know Hinata, I was already too often the hangman, as that I myself would like to become the victim."

She freed herself a little of him and continued her thinking "And if what the police catches you once?"

"Then Sasuke will get me there out again. This was the other part of his promise. Should we one day get difficulties, we can count on him. Just as he can count on us," Hinata looked at him surprised and Naruto commented: "This is his recipe for success, with it he wins his informers, messengers and dealers."

The Hyuuga was always aware that the business partner of her cousin knows all the dodges, but she could never foresee his real aims, intentions or even his strategies. She moved back in Naruto's arms and he buried his face in her marvelous long black hair.

He anticipated what she asked herself, namely as her common future might look fine if they continued like this. It had never been easy for both and the future didn't look lighter certainly, Naruto still hoped would have sometime a calm and contented life.

Hinata closed her eyes, she knew what her boyfriend was thinking. She knew the curse of his family from which he ran away. All Uzumakis were successful in any manner, earned money that they could hardly count it anymore and worked 20 hours a day.

However, they were all not one thing.

Happy.

One could lure Naruto with nothing, except with satisfaction and the warmth of a happy home. One day she wanted to be able to offer this to him, however, at the moment there was no possibility to even think about it.

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The fire in the chimney crackled continually and threw long shades at the bright walls of the sitting room. Outdoors the rain knocked against the discs and played a gentle melody. Sasuke sat upright on a white carpet, behind him there were armchairs and a big couch, however, he gave them no attention at this moment. He carried his black suit trousers, while his white shirt was stuck to a chair outdoors in the wind.

In his right hand he held a wineglass and sipped every now and then at it. One of his legs was bent, while the other was put up. Already for over one hour he paused in this position, however, it made no difference to him.

Still some time ago his core was turned up and been restless. He never had to wait so long for a woman. Over and over again she had put his patience to a proof and slowly the question had arisen whether the long waiting was worthwhile, actually, or whether a maybe certain reason was in Izumi's head.

However, today she had destroyed all his doubts with a simple, nearly quite primitive seduction. Like an animal he had pounced on her, however, she seemed to have enjoyed it, because, otherwise, she would have tried to tame him a little.

Sasuke smiled and admitted that sex in the water had something thrilling. Above all when the water was cold like ice and a burning body of a nice woman.

The Uchiha's dark blue orbs were glued on the flickering of the fire, his eyes were so watchful as ever. He listened to the steady breath of the woman beside himself. Quietly he turned to her. His fingers played with one of her many strands of hair.

She was so different …

Something special …

Extraordinary…

His look glided over her body, to her well-shaped curves and her soft skin that were covered now by a big white cover. The fire in the chimney became smaller and would be completely expired soon. He laid his arm around her upper part and the other under her legs.

Carefully he raised her and carried her through the sitting room. Izumi seemed to sleep firmly and he asked himself whether her today had been so stressful that she slept like in trance.

He carried her in the bedroom and laid her on an untouched side. Immediately Izumi turned to the right and pressed her head in the cushion. Sasuke reached for the light blue cover and covered her, then he stepped near the huge window from where he could overlook a huge wood with fields.

With his backs he leant at the disc and watched the sleeping woman in his bed. In his head a plan matured. He was crazy after her. This was clear without a question. When she left, he counted the hours, until they met again and if she was with him, he hoped that the time would simply stop. Sasuke felt another feeling with her than at that time with Sakura.

Though they had been engaged, however, the only one what he had felt for her was desire for her body. A body that he could have every time, which is why he had taken her death not further tragically.

What needed he was a woman he could count on, who lived with him his double life without anticipating something.

Somebody who was worth spending time with.

Sasuke stroked through his hair, for many years he had been in search of a special woman and now he was sure to have found her finally.

Now he had to provide only for the fact that she stayed on his side. Sasuke pushed off from the window pane and stepped to her.

Izumi wouldn't leave him, as long as she didn't anticipate to whose circles he belonged. She would belong alone to him and with it her laughter, her heart and her body, simply her whole being. Foreign men would not dare to look at her wrong at all.

A cynical grin crept over his face, his eyes were getting dark and all of a sudden the humanity had disappeared from his face.

To him a brilliant idea had come so he could make her his property, without her noticing it.

Her whole life would belong long to him …

Every centimeter of her body …

Every look …J

Every laughter …

Every gesture …

He would be her life.

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	9. Unwanted Discoveries

**| $ | Unwanted Discoveries | $ |**

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Tiredly Kiba yawned when he looked up from his PC after almost over four hours. Beside him Red Bull tins and pizza boxes piled up. In the headquarters was still hardly traffic and the most began only at half past seven with their work. This case had only two advantages compared with his colleagues.

Firstly one was better paid, however what wasn't a lot of use if one rarely had the possibility to spend it. Second if this case really led to success, his respect would rise and maybe he would get promoted. However, the big risk was present maybe there weren't able to experience it any more or to run after this dream his whole life.

The phone rang and he rose slowly. Tripping he hobbled to the table and picked it up.

"Yeah?"

"_Morning, Inuzuka_,"

Already with the third letter the young man had recognized whose bad-tempered voice resounded to him. Internally he hit his hands over his head if Ibiki called there was A) stress with him, B) bad news or C) even more work.

He could renounce all three points in this morning well and with pleasure. "Good morning. What is the reason for this early phone call?"

"_Is Aburame available?"_

Kiba looked around like a beginner and yawned, finally, in the listener: "Er …. How it looks, he doesn't feel well, because he left last night already earlier."

At the other end of the phone ruled silence and all of a sudden Kiba realize that it did not correspond at all to the kind of his colleague. His hand with the listener cramped.

Ibiki cleared his throat and confessed: "_He has not contacted us for 9,5 hours, ordinarily he is a workaholic who is served with six hours of sleep even with illness and announces himself at least once the night, particularly since the small incident with his fiancée."_

Kiba became light dependent and let him describe the case by his superior in all detail. After almost over 10 minutes Ibiki ended.

"_For some time many investigators thought that the free culprits wanted to kill Aburame, because he had uncovered a big forged banknote smearing some weeks before. However, after some time the suspicion faded away again. However we wanted to stay on the save side and we required that he announces himself regularly."_

Just as if he was controlled Kiba looked for the clock on the wall. He didn't know why, but suddenly an icy shiver was running down his back. His so dutiful colleague lasts had to be in the office. Now. Not later.

Especially since he had been the first yesterday evening who had gone home. Kiba said goodbye and promised to tell Ibiki, as soon as he would hear something from Shino. The young man hung up and walked some minutes worriedly in the office up and down. Convulsively he tried to remember last night. Something Shino had said or maybe behaved strangely.

He had looked something up and, finally, had left purposefully the office.

However, what it was that had startled him. Kiba leant his the head on the wall and closed shut his eyes tightly.

"Damn it! What have you said yesterday?", the problem was if one blethered a lot, one was not especially attentive what garbage one gave from himself.

Kiba sighed deeply and took the phone once more. He would try first of all, all possible telephone numbers, once Shino had given them if there were problems. Somewhere he would be. The FBI agent looked after a fact that there was one reasonable explanation for everything.

And exactly this he had to find.

Though it wasn't his big strength, but he had not despaired not yet enough to be helpless, in front of Ino.

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The ring of his mobile phone had torn Sasuke out of his sleep. At first he had been irritated to have a young woman beside himself in the bed, however, then he had understood fast enough and had searched the annoying device.

Hardly that he had his mobile phone at hand, he already threw a quick look at Izumi, however, she went on sleeping contently. In quick steps he left his bedroom and stepped in the hall.

"Morning Shikamaru what is that important to pull be me out of my precious sleep?", the voice of the Uchiha sounded obviously annoyed and he stroked through his hair as he took the steps to the kitchen.

At the other end one of his hangmen tried to report very quietly and essentially about a small incident. When he had ended, two steaming cups of coffee stood already before Sasuke and he groaned.

"FBI? What did they want this time? If it is not enough that they put their nose in Konan's matter and the woman is craftier than me."

The only difference between them was that Konan pulled the threads in the politics capably to put through her will. Her real aim was to build up an America she could govern without power restriction, however, the target was still far away.

Shikamaru told him and didn't save important details. The Uchiha listened carefully and his face relaxed a little again. The fact that the FBI guy had penetrated into his district alone and without any support calmed him.

He had always known that one could not work together with this pack. Finally, everybody wanted for himself the biggest piece of cake. "And what did you do after he foiled you?"

A moment Sasuke's face stopped, then he broke out in loud laughter. This completely sounded after his small hangman. Sometimes he asked himself really whether Gaara really was only at high school and didn't make a short excursion in Orochimaru's sick brain.

"Well done, we speak closer about it when I come to the office this afternoon.", he just wanted to hang up when he heard the dumbfounded voice of his hangman.

A content smile cited his lips and he spoke: "Alright, this afternoon. Before I arrive I have one more appointment.", with that he laid the mobile phone on the culinary table and reached for the two cups with black coffee.

Quietly he walked up the stairs again and tried to open the bedroom door silently. Izumi still slept as firmly as he had left her. Sasuke put down the cups and walked to the long curtains. With a jerk he drew up them and heard groaning behind himself.

Tiredly the young woman buried her face even deeper in the cushions and pulled the covers over her head. The Uchiha had to grin and sat down on his side.

"Hey, get up or do you want to sleep away the whole day?"

Izumi gave some muttering before she winked a little under the cover. "Is there any special reason, why you try to lure me away from this warm bed?"

He played with a long strand of her hair and scrutinized her. His feelings had disappeared again behind a mask and Izumi asked herself where the passionate man from yesterday night had been. She could never estimate his mood quite well. Surprised of the fact that he smiled, she looked up closer.

"I thought about a splendid breakfast. Only the two of us."

He raised her chin with the right hand and kissed her. Surprised about this small tenderness she stared at him sleepy what amused him. "If you have no hunger on bread roll, I can offer you indeed also something different."

The redhead pulled up distrustfully her eyebrow and glided over his cheek with a hand. "How? Have you not used up possibly your whole powder yesterday?"

Injured in his male pride Sasuke pressed her back in the cushions and bent over her. "Are you challenging me?"

The young woman pulled him to her, saw the good mood in his eyes. She ignored her knocking heart and kissed him once more, however, this time around something longer than in the beginning.

Sasuke got involved in it and pushed his hands under the soft cover. If she didn't want breakfast, it was alright with him. To be honest, he also preferred her here. Her tender hands tugged on his T-shirt and he briefly freed himself from her to move his head, then she sat down quite upright. Her arms twined around his neck, while he pulled her by the waist towards him.

The morning had well begun and he was sure that every day with Izumi on his side would become more special.

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Cold sunrays came out behind the clouds and threw shades up at the same time. It was still not a lot of traffic in the city, however soon as the first shops would open, the big shopping mile would be filled. Some workers were on the move already, however, most were in such a hectic rush that they had only eyes for their own worries.

In the midst of the city, in a big fountain where in summer the small children went with their feet a man was sitting on the edge and his head was lowered. Three big goddesses of stone behind him who decorated the fountain didn't interest him.

His gaze was directed stiffly upon the ground. Around him black ravens were already gathering. In the beginning they were five, then they got more and more. It was as if somebody had called them to him. The young man gave an uncanny picture of himself, however, till present it seemed to have interested nobody.

The black cap on his head hid his hair and the collar of his jacket was surged up. Almost it seemed as if the new opened day meant nothing to him.

About 15 meters away from him a young blond woman waved to him. Ino was so level on the way to the work when she had recognized her colleague already from far away. Surprised to find him here she waved, however, he gave no reaction. Taken aback she approached him and scared away the whole ravens.

"Sometimes I ask myself really for what we have a town council!" she cursed quietly and stroked a long blond strand of hair out of her face.

Like every day she was well dressed and was ready to work undercover all the time. Though she knew that she did not have to move out any more, however, after all years she had got used to look perfect.

In a good mood she turned again to her seated colleague. "Say something Shino, shouldn't you go to the office already?"

He did not stir, so she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, it makes no difference to you if you get bollocking of Ibiki? Kiba has gone through certainly the whole night alone.", her voice was outraged, however, actually, she only knew too well that one could not always make through whole nights.

It took up concentration and from one the ability to consider his action. Ino frowned and gave him a light prod.

"Hey you, Shino, I'm talking to you! If you maybe had the goodness to-!", the words got stuck in her mouth, because the body of her colleague fell disoriented aside and his head hit vaguely on the stone ground.

Numbly Ino looked down at him. Her whole body got cold and a feeling of sickness climbed up in her. Dead lifeless eyes looked at her; his face was distorted to a cruel grimace and accepted the sight of a maniac.

Blood spread on the ground and Ino turned to the well to avoid this sight, however, as she looked in the water she tore her eyes open. The pure liquid had mixed partly with blood. A big wound had to be on the body of her colleague.

Now the blood spread on the stones and also made no hold before her boots. Ino hit the hands in front of her mouth and suppressed an awful scream.

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Strong rain was beating on Los Angeles, the sky was menacingly dark. Somber shades fell to ground. In the deep puddles the high rises were reflected again. The wind was icy and it was howling through the streets as if he was trying to blow something away.

The streets were left, everyone had withdrawn of this late hour into his flat. Quiet, vague steps were to be heard; the gate of the town cemetery creaked and fell shortly after according to cracking in the castle.

A young woman in a dark red coat looked searching through the rows of the graves, finally, she found what she was looking for. In front of her was a fresh grave that was covered with flowers. She stopped. Izumi put down her hood and cold raindrops beat on her head, however, this didn't seem to disturb her, on the contrary, she did not perceive it yet. With sad eyes the redhead looked at the grave, in her right hand she held a lily. Moments long she did not stir; finally, she took a deep breath and turned away from the grave.

She would never forget the sight of her dead colleague. His dead, lifeless eyes had burnt themselves deeply in her memory. The deep cuts in his breast which were at last the cause of his death, they had reminded immediately of a book which she had read once. In Africa one punished bad or disloyal people in this manner.

Such knowledge made clear to her that the three hangmen weren't uneducated people and exactly this made them even more dangerous than they already were. Izumi couldn't imagine at all what pain Shino had gone through. if she remembered which pains Shino had to have had. Infinitely agonizing he had died.

Izumi remembered her friend, who had found Shino. Ino had tried to look calm, however, she knew the blonde well enough to know that it was really hard for her. Now nearly one week after his death and only now she had got the permission to visit his grave.

Ibiki had been the opinion that it would have endangered, otherwise, her job, if she would have come to the memorial service. From Ino's stories she knew that all colleagues had come from all over the world. Izumi only realized then how famous Shino had been among them. His brilliant mind with regard to data and virtual information had helped the guardians of the law from all parts of the world. Even Russia had sent his representatives.

After old tradition every colleague had bound a white loop to the coffin of the dead man, then the military shot in the air to symbolize therefore the resignation and the respect. Till present Izumi had still experienced none of these burials.

Even Kiba and Ino had to appear undercover, because they dealt with the case of their dead colleague. Many had put away tears and had felt crushed from an agonising silence. Every time when the FBI had to bury a colleague, it became conscious to the men and women every time anew, why they fought with their life for the law and what the profit or loss could mean for them.

The young redhead bent down and laid the lily on the grave. To smile she tried ones, because she knew that Shino would hold it for a weakness if she cried now. "I hope, it is okay that I have brought no tape."

Her wet hair stuck on her head and thick, heavy drops ran down her face. Izumi clenched the hand to a fist and bit er lip. Only with a lot of trouble she succeeded in suppressing the upcoming grief.

Over and over again she put to herself the question, was she guilty for his death?

Did she do something wrong?

Did he want to help her?

Questions over questions rushed through her head. She would never get an answer. Since the person who could give her some wasn't alive any more. Izumi rose and tied her arms round her upper part of the body. Silently she stared once more at the grave.

"You should stop to think about it," a quiet women's voice suddenly sounded beside her.

She turned round and recognized the chairperson of the CSI. Tsunade stepped to her and they stood in twos under a big, deep-blue umbrella. Izumi struck that she was dressed, as usual, accordingly to her rank.

The tan costume stood out under the open, long, deep brown coat and her hair was pulled together in a formal knot. Tsunade smiled compassionately, before she threw a look at the grave.

"A really tragic death."

Izumi did not answer, but stared at the older woman still in silence. What did she want here?

Tsunade noted that she didn't want to talk and sighed deeply.

"I have looked for you, Miss Sousei."

"Why?"

"To tell you that you perform excellent work."

Izumi's face remained unemotional and with a silent voice she answered: "My superior sees this a little different."

Tsunade had to smile and confessed: "Ibiki is allergic on compliments. He would rather chop off himself a leg, than to admit once that he is proud on a former pupil."

"Unless, one is already dead," complemented the redhead drily and turned the conversation therefore again on the dry level. The CSI-chief realized that she wouldn't be able to have some small talk with the young woman.

"Listen, Sousei, all the same what you think, but I think you should know that you make a good job and I really mean it; it is not usual that average agents keep up a job with such a level so long."

Tsunade became serious and looked over the grave away directly in the bordering dark wood.

"I have got to know during my term of office and cooperation with the FBI only six such people." Without paying attention to whether it interested Izumi, she talked further: "Two of them are already in the retirement age and enjoy their life in the middle of nowhere. Three of them are already dead. A young woman was violated to death in New York by Orochimaru."

Izumi swallowed hard.

"She was not 30 years old yet. One has shot two young men when they got in an ambush and wanted to save civilians."

"What is with the sixth?" Izumi stared at the woman continually and bit her lower lip. Tsunades smile became bitter and she confessed: "Nobody knows where he is. His colleagues think he is dead. But if you want to hear my personal opinion, his corpse on any trifling spot on God's earth rots and we find him in some decades."

Izumis heart cramped. She had never dealt with praised colleagues, because she had met none of them. She looked once more at the grave of her colleague and spoke: "Shino was one of them, definitely."

However, Tsunade shook her head. "No, he may have been an excellent agent, however, undercover he couldn't keep up with you. By the way, this is also one of the reasons, which is why I have searched you here."

The redhead solved her arms to put them in her coat pockets. Questioningly she looked at the chairperson. Tsunade opened her big handbag and pulled out a package. It was not especially big and at first cannot be also deciphered what could be the contents.

"Your colleague has something left for you. He was apparent also of my opinion what concerns your abilities, because your name was mentioned in the added letter."

With cold hands Izumi accepted the package and scrutinized it. It was not especially difficult what concluded by the fact that the contents could contain nothing like of lead. "Go home, drink a strong coffee and what you colleague has to tell you."

Lightly confused Izumi stared at her, however, Tsunade smiled only and start to walk. "Have a nice evening, Miss Sousei."

With these words she said goodbye and walked to the exit. Back remained a young woman who could not understand so surely what would happen in the near future.

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	10. A Single Moment

**| $ | A Single Moment | $ |**

With a stagnant feeling in the stomach Ibiki looked around the big office.

It showed off with wealth and the inhabitant of this space didn't intend to turn on big light. Smaller lamps in all corners distributed, donated meagerly light.

With self-controlled posture the chairperson of Washington FBI stood before his huge window and watched the animated street. The grey hair of the man was strictly pulled back. Sarutobi turned round and took a briefcase of his big desk.

"After my information, you have lost some days ago an extremely important man because of the case Uchiha."

Ibiki was quiet. He knew that it had no sense to contradict this man or to point out even to the fact that his nephew had been also killed not long time by Uchiha. Finally, he stood in the hierarchic above him and, besides, he was still feared for his quick-fitted answers.

The first rule, Ibiki had learnt when he had come to the FBI, was:

Sarutobi is _always_ right!

The old man pulled kept a straight face when he looked through the report once again. "Sloppy work."

Ibiki clenched his hands to fists. He didn't like it if one condemned former pupils of him without knowing them or being able to estimate even their abilities.

"You haven't called me here to inform me of this, have you?"

Sarutobi denied surprised and looked up. A thin smile adorned his lips. "Your team exists only of three people and I wish that this is changed."

This was clear to the hulk. He would leave the group even by no means so small, however, till present he hadn't come yet in addition to determine Aburame's successor.

The choice had to be well considered, because, otherwise, it could come to fatal results.

Sarutobi walked calmly around his desk. "What about the agent who has solved the case _Orlando_?"

"You mean the case with the serial killer whom one called _'Dracula'_ because he has speared his victims, primarily women, like Vlad Tepes?" murmured Ibiki and Sarutobi nodded before he sat down on his desk.

"Yes … after nearly 76 corpses in two years the men got slightly nervous and one sent somebody from Cansas City, 24 years old, just with the education and he solved the case against any expectations, within just three months."

Sarutobi's eyes were glowing. It was clear to him to look that the young man was likeable to him. Not every novice got to earn the respect of the chairperson from the head office.

Ibiki swallowed and knew what would come.

"Why haven't you assigned him to the case Uchiha?"

The big man swallowed hard, before he answered: "You know, he is untraceable since quite long time and meanwhile we assume that he is dead."

Sarutobi stopped short. How could it be that one of the best agents of the USA disappeared overnight without a trace? He pronounced his doubts; however, Ibiki could call to him no information which was useful.

So he dropped the subject, even if he firmly decided to enquire once again about the young man.

"In any case," He turned round and passed Ibiki another thin briefcase. "I would like you to follow my recommendation and give this young man a chance."

The instructor opened it and studied the curriculum vitae of an unknown man.

"Of course Watson is not to be compared to Aburame, but indeed useful. His way to work, differs of his colleagues clearly. Particularly coded codes are his specialty."

Ibiki looked up and wanted to know more than however Sarutobi spoke already further: "Tsunade holds him for cheap, because he cannot express himself in her opinion. However, the real problem consists in the fact rather that Watson owns such an extensive vocabulary that he mostly communicates at a very intellectual level with people."

Ibiki knew what this had to mean and couldn't help it to grin, because, he thought directly of his young, red-headed, former pupil. "This might be no problem. I know there somebody who certainly comes on his level."

"To the fact comes that he owns a quite high IQ. What is maybe due to the fact that he had jumped over some courses on the college in Vegas. However, you have to take a look at the boy. I am sure, you will not be disappointed."

Ibiki stuck the briefcase under his arm and nodded. He knew that this was a request to leave and at the same time a sort of an order to get the boy in the team.

However, whether this miracle boy was really good, he would still have to check. If it had gone by his will, he would have clung long time ago to that legendary agent, who had solved the case _'Dracula'_, however, unfortunately, one not always got everything in the life what one wished.

Just like this time.

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Quietly the young woman had closed the door behind her and looked around her room. To the change it was well-arranged once, because she was in hardly at home lately.

Tenten already took amiss of her, but at the moment she had other fish to fry instead to argue with her friend. Izumi really wasn't in the mood for fights, so she went out of Tenten's way. Tiredly she buckled on her bed and put the package on her nightstand.

Izumi still didn't know what she was supposed to think of it.

Why had one given her something what Shino had held shortly before his death in his hands?

The light of the street lantern fell in her room and Izumi decided to turn on her post-table lamp.

Should she really take a look what one had assigned to her?

The redhead sat down and leant with the backs against the orange colored wall. In her head thoughts were rushing through fast. Her gaze fell on her bulletin board, which was hanging above her desk and her look touched the old photo of Sasuke.

Immediately she had to think of the wonderful night that they had spent together. She had never met such a wonderful man. The word wonderful did not describe him properly. And the fact that he was interested still just in her, she found still strange.

When she thought of his touches and the affectionate words which he had breathed to her ear in the pool, creeps overcame her. Izumi pulled her legs to her body and embraced them with her arms.

It was getting harder for her every time she met Sasuke to imagine that this miraculous man should be such a cruel tyrant. It was as if he had two absolutely different sides in him and she knew only the pleasant and property one.

It was only a frickin' job!

She hit with her fist against the wall.

And why was she about just to fall in love with him seriously?

He released a chaos of feelings in her and the young woman threw furiously the cushions from her bed, so that they clapped hard against her cupboard.

Finally, uncertain she looked at the package and decided to open it. She tore open the cord and slowly pulled the wrapped material open. The first what she saw was a cassette, then several letters and a diary followed.

She found below a photo.

Surprised she looked at the picture: her dead colleague with a pretty woman in his arm. She didn't knew this side of Shino at all. Happily he smiled in the camera and looked content.

Izumi turned the pages of the diary and fast it became clear to her that it belonged to a woman called Kin Kurosaki. She flew over some pages; finally, she realized that this woman had to have been once Shino's fiancée.

Izumi's heart got heavier, now probably she was devastated and could do nothing else than cry.

However, shortly after the redhead shook her head if this was his fiancée, why had he her diary? Quick she turned the pages before and looked at the last entry.

_January 30__th_

This was too long ago. Now they soon had November.

Something fell out from the book and she froze. Unbelieving she took the ultrasonic picture and scrutinized it. A puzzle part submitted to the next one and she opened the first letter. Already according to the first words Izumi had to swallow hard.

These letters were not determined for her but for Kin. With words on paper Shino told her, how much he loved her, missed and the emptiness in him became bigger and bigger. Slowly Izumi it became obvious line by line that Shino had lost his big love. As far as she understood now, a bank robbery was responsible for that.

The redhead put aside the first letter, her body felt strangely deaf. The lump in her throat became bigger and bigger, because for any reason she already had a bad foreboding. In the second letter told Shino his fiancées, how much he would have been glad about the child. Water stains showed that he had to have cried as he was writing the letter.

Only hard Izumi could imagine how bad the time had been for him. To lose a beloved person, was as one would die internally. She knew from what she talked and Shino also apparently knew it. Blinded from grief, he imagined, how wonderful her future could have been. A small house in the town, the child would have become certainly a girl.

He would have painted her children's room in tender rose and would have played, finally, for hours with her dolls. Izumi had to cry without noticing it. Only a tear rolled over her cheek and she didn't know yet, why. The sentences of her colleague were formulated so affectionately and expressed a longing which was to her strange.

She had always that Aburame Shino was an unemotional and self-controlled, however, the letters showed her that he had been a sensitive person in reality.

It was hard for the young woman to put aside the second letter and to start, finally, with the third one. Her hands were trembling when she opened the envelope and unfolded, finally, the paper. However, if she had expected affectionate words and longing wishes again, it was disappointed this time. He had let out all his fury about the murderer of his fiancée.

Only in the kind, how hard he had pressed the feather of the fountain pen that the hatred had to have been awfully big. He cursed this man and Izumi became conscious that he meant with it _Sasuke_.

With carefully well-chosen words Shino explained his life aim. He wanted to pull Uchiha to account, only his revenge counted. Izumi didn't read the letter to an end and put it aside. Halting she took the cassette and went to her arrangement.

She was curious what she would hear.

Already after the first tones she faltered. Her core solidified. Immediately she turned around and threw a look at the unpacked package. The message accepted a clear figure. Izumi leant beside her stereo against the wall and slided to the ground, there on the soft carpet she stayed.

The redhead had to smile, anyhow it was for her, how an irony of the destiny. Just the colleague from she had thought, he could not express his feelings especially well, now exactly from him, she got support. Her feelings were confused what was not further surprising in view of the last events and exactly this Shino had foreseen.

Maybe he would have spoken sometime once with her? S

he didn't know it, however, the salient point was that he wanted that she heard in spite of her duty compared with the state on her heart.

Of course the law was important, however, besides, she should not forget her own condition and he wanted to make clear exactly this to her with this song. Only who was able to feel all the same which kind of feelings, grief, hatred, fury, desperation or joy, warmth and even love was to be observed in the situation his opponent with the right eyes.

Since she might never forget one, the opponent also was only a person who owned feelings exactly like her, even if she could hardly fancy it.

Shino had loved Kin and exactly this had made him a very good agent. He had something what he wanted to protect and just this will lent to an unexpected force.

Be it physically or psychically.

His strength was the mind and exactly her mind she should use according to his opinion. Izumi lifted her look off the ground, the knots in her breast had burst.

"Shino, old mate, I must confess, you were by far more brilliant than I myself have ever thought!"

She had fallen in love with Sasuke, no question.

Still this was not her biggest problem and exactly this calmed her.

The problem, was somewhere different.

Sometime the point would come where she would betray him and then she had to decide.

Love or law.

She might not hesitate if the time had come.

No moment.

Since this could destroy her life and the life of many other people.

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Ino sat down on the desk of her colleague. She had crossed her legs elegantly.

Kiba who sat directly in front of her sighed deeply. "What is wrong?"

The two were, as usual, in the office to consider how they should go forward now. The blonde held to him a slip of paper where a few numbers were noted.

Unsuspectingly Kiba took it from her and asked: "What is on November 22nd?"

"Uchiha's 30th birthday." In spite of the death of her colleague she had kept on working.

On the one hand deflect herself, on the other hand because she knew that long funereal time didn't belong to her job.

"We should slowly look after Izumi's safety measures. Since I can imagine that on the party everything who is anybody will show up. At least in the criminal scene."

Kiba understood, this was the best opportunity to detain the eyes after possible suspects. Still he saw a problem with the whole. "Do you know where he will celebrate?"

Ino shook her head: "Caribbean or Italy, but the likelyhood that he will choose Rome is very low. Since with his last stay there, there had been some disagreeable incidents of our side."

The brown-haired man nodded and sighed, since Shino was dead, he lacked any motivation.

For what has his friend died?

For nothing and again nothing!

Constantly they accepted losses and Uchiha spread his power out more and more, however what could they do against him?

_Nothing_!

Somebody knocked at the door and surprised Ino and Kiba looked up. Their superior stepped in, however, not alone. He had somebody with him. The black-haired young man looked arrogantly round the room and appreciated them of no look.

Haughtily he sat down on a free chair and buried his hands in his trouser pocket. Ibiki tried to let make a note of nothing and turned to his employees. "May I introduce to you Shinos successor? Sai Watson."

The new nodded only and noted: "Poor little hut here."

The blonde rose and pressed her hands in the hips. "If you don't like it here, you can raise your small ass and you know the way you walked in is also the way out."

Sai rolled his eyes. "Keep cool, bunny." The black-haired scrutinized her and looked surprised. "Such a rack, like you, has really got involved Uchiha?"

"Before you start to offend us, you should learn as the first to rein your tongue!" growled Kiba and got up threatening.

Ibiki sighed deeply.

He saw this scenario coming already when he had fetched Watson from the airport.

The boastfulness and arrogance of the agent made him blind for the essentials. Secretly he asked himself what had made Sarutobi suggest this man.

"Do you feel attacked? Maybe you should get a thicker skin." Sai seemed to be badly amused and a malicious grin crept over his lips.

"You shouldn't talk about stuff you have no idea about."

The women's voice let him turn round. Sai stopped short when he saw Izumi in the door. The redheadwalked in the office, hang her coat and welcomed Ibiki with a nod. "Am I correct, Watson?"

"You know my name?"

Ino and Kiba looked dumbfounded at each other. To them it was hard to follow the conversation, particularly since Izumi spoke in rhymes. The redhead poured herself a cup of coffee, before she answered to the novice.

"You know …" Izumi laid her head crooked and scrutinized him. "I incline to remember the names of rivals that I have defeated. If you don't remember it, I was that ugly girl who has beat you in the theoretical, national final examination."

Sai was dumbfounded. "I-Izumi Sousei?"

Ino raised her eyebrow. She never had been able to understand how her friend had done this. At that time Watson stated since beginning of her education the list as the best agent of the theoretical area.

However, at that time with the last check Izumi left him behind. She might have been so bad in practice, however this had brought to her a high degree in admiration.

"Correct. Listen Watson, the case Uchiha is nothing for beginners or idiots if you want to make a big bloke, then you go back to the kindergarten. However, if you want to catch the biggest and most dangerous gang boss of all time, you are very welcome here."

The black-haired's gaze wandered from Izumi to Ino and Kiba. He knew that the young Sousei put him before the existing facts.

He stroked through his hair, then he looked up of the ground and spoke: "I cannot promise that we will well get by with each other. But as long as we can work together without big misunderstandings, I will try to stick my tongue to the thumb if a vicious remark should leave my mouth."

Izumi wanted to smile, however, she was not able to do it, instead, she stretched her hand out to him. The last days had simply been too much for her. Shino's personal resignation had taken a lot from her. Months they had worked together and at one single moment her whole picture what she had of him had changed.

Sai had probably fancied a better group with more stars of the FBI and, nevertheless, he was confronted with people of his age which disappointed him a little.

Izumi leant beside Ibiki against the wall and laid her hands on her back. Once again she thought about that one single moment could change everything.

It had never been aware to her so clearly how dangerous this job was. Although she could not imagine in Sasuke's present that he could be so cruel, she had to pull herself together day by day.

Of course she enjoyed the nearness of the Uchiha, even if she denied it over and over again; she wasn't not different than the remaining women. His words, actions and caress released in her one wave of unexpected feelings. Feelings she could not define in words.

"When will you meet Uchiha again?"

The quiet rough voice of her former superior tore her from her thoughts and she looked up. "In two hours … I just don't .. well I .. don't know how … I"

She looked for the right words, however, Ibiki took this from her. "You do not know, like you should explain to him, your bad constitution, particularly since it is even worse today than it was one week ago."

He laid a hand on her head and all of a sudden Izumi believed to be a small child especially since Ibiki had a gigantic paw.

"Why do you keep on hitting the nail properly?" Her voice was so quiet that only the man beside her understood her. He laughed almost silently and thereby released a confusion within her.

"Sousei, Sousei … you tell him, the reason for your condition."

Immediately she pulled up her eyebrows and tapped her forehead. "Then I can kill myself at once."

Ibiki rolled his eyes and bent down to her. Quietly he whispered something in her ear and the longer he spoke, the more Izumi's face relaxed. Her former instructor proved once more, why he enjoyed such a good reputation.

"Try it with that."

She hardly nodded noticeably and turned again to her colleagues.

"The plan has backfired and now Sousei must play a double role?"

Ino sighed deeply and explained that they got at least near Uchiha and Izumi played her role more than only well.

Sai listened patiently to her report, until the Sousei looked at the clock and noted that she already had to say goodbye. She put an embroidering on Kiba's desk, before she turned to walk. Ibiki walked to the window and observed the young woman as she left the main building through the back exit and interfered among the people Los Angeles.

Still it tormented Ibiki that he had sent a person like Izumi in her sure death, while he allowed that she dealt with such a dangerous order. He liked the young woman and this not without firm reasons .

Izumi Sousei embodied the new picture of a woman in the FBI. She stood out with her brain but still had those female charms.

Ibiki could state without bad conscience that he felt admiration for her. She was young and unused and exactly this he appreciated in her, even if he could never tell it her. The situation would soon taper to a point, he could feel it formally and then Izumi had to plan every step she acted, exactly.

A moment of the inattentiveness and there would be another name on the list of agents who had disappeared over night.

And this was the least what he wanted.

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